Brightness and Darkness
by Winter Yuy
Summary: Ansem smiled at the two weakly, "My children, I can only hope that with my death that the light from your hearts will show that I love you both and always will"
1. Prolouge and Seven Years After

Brightness and Darkness  
Prologue  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Warnings:** No sexual content…YET! Angst, romance…the usual. Strong language and violence. This is the **_direct_** sequel to Something About Us. If you haven't read that story, then you must read it before you can understand this one.  
  
**Author's Note:** The prologue and first chapter will be in the same document. Meaning, the first chapter will come right after you read the prologue. Oh, and the prologue will be in Kairi's point of view.  
  
**Disclaimer:** Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square Enix and Disney. I do not own any part of the game. Kaze Yuki, Kioko, and Laiktu belong to me and I wish to keep it that way.  
  
¤-¤  
  
_Kairi_…  
  
_I didn't come here to stay. I came here to see you_…_  
  
Go to sleep, baby. It's been a long night_…_  
  
I'll be here with you wake up_…   
  
_I love you_…  
  
-  
  
"Kairi, you should be in bed resting."  
  
Kaze's voice didn't phase me as I sat outside on the balcony, covered in a blanket. I just stared straight ahead; not bothering to look behind me, knowing my friend was probably giving me the "look of death". I didn't care. I hadn't cared since that night. The night Sora had left me…  
  
Call me selfish, but I still wish he was here with me. I didn't think my body was able to produce so many tears. At night, I would cry into my pillow. I had no motivation to get out of bed, to eat, or to sleep. I wanted to stay awake and wait for my love's return. It wasn't fair. Why was he chosen to help protect the other worlds? Why couldn't he stay here with me? Kaze tells me that it was fate.  
  
Damn the fates. They have no right to meddle in people's love lives, but they did. I'm powerless to stop them. I've tried wishing several times that Sora could appear before my eyes, like he did that night. The night he told me he loved me and would be by my side when I woke up. He had left though. Leaving me behind naked and heartbroken. At that time, I had nothing to remember him by except for his necklace.  
  
He's been gone for eight months now. Eight months, three days, sixteen hours, and thirty-two minutes. I don't know why I've kept up with all that shit. It gives me something to do other than sit around and sulk in the dark. I guess I'm just obsessed with his return that I'm forgetting about my own health. Sometimes I pretend that he's just gone to visit his friends back at Hallow Bastion, but that really doesn't work. Ah…dammit…  
  
Kaze placed a gently hand on my shoulder and squeezed. She was going through the same thing I was…somewhat. Sometimes I don't even think she cares about Riku. She acts so cold when I mention his name and stalks off to her bedroom to be in seclusion. I just don't understand her sometimes.  
  
"They will come back, Kairi. Sora promised he would, and I'm sure he always keeps his promises."  
  
I know I should listen to her, but it's hard. I can't help but think Sora and Riku may be in trouble, and I'm stranded here on this God forsaken island waiting for them to return. Sounds sort of cliché if you ask me. The stars seem to be growing dimmer each passing day, and I worry more. I want to know what's going on, dammit!  
  
Even though he's gone, I can still sense his presence, just like he said. He's with me wherever I go, and I feel some sort of comfort knowing that he's watching over me. Kaze is still angry with him for leaving me like that, but she shouldn't care. Riku left her just like Sora left me. I don't know if I should even say left, they're still here with us, growing rapidly.  
  
Because Sora, you didn't leave alone with nothing. In fact, you gave me the greatest gift of all.  
  
¤-¤  
  
Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter One: Seven Years After  
  
¤-¤  
  
"It's mine!"  
  
"No! It's mine! I found it first! Give it back!"  
  
"Not a chance, pipsqueak!"  
  
"I'm not a pipsqueak! I'm the same size as you are!"  
  
"Whatever shrimp!"  
  
"I'll show you a shrimp, you overgrown clown fish!"  
  
Two broken vases later, Kairi and Kaze had ran into the living room to see the two children on the floor, rolling around. The boy, apparently the stronger one of the duo, was holding the sword away from the girl, who was on top of him, reaching for the sword with one hand while pulling his hair with the other.  
  
"Laiktu! Kioko! What are you two doing?" Kairi demanded, tapping her foot lightly.  
  
Laiktu's downy sliver-blue hair cascaded behind his head like a running waterfall. His aquamarine eyes danced with excitement as he was still trying to keep the girl away from the item in play. Lifting his head to look at his mother and Aunt Kairi and smiled slyly.  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
Kioko turned around and shook her head, her messy, chocolate brown hair following the movements. Her big sapphire eyes glazed over with tears. She pointed to the object the Laiktu was holding over his head, and pouted at her mother.  
  
"The big dummy won't give it back! I found it first!"  
  
Kairi's face paled at the item. It still looked brand new, but it held so many memories. It was the same wooden sword _he_ used before he became the Keyblade master. _Sora._ The two children still fighting yanked Kairi from her reminiscence of the past.  
  
Laiktu stuck out his tongue, "But I took it from you. So that means I get to keep it."  
  
"Finders keepers, losers weepers!" Kioko shot back.  
  
"You must be the loser then."  
  
Kaze sighed and rubbed her temples in slight annoyance. _If Riku was here, I'd strangle the life out of him for this._ She marched over to the two on the floor, and bent down, taking the wooden sword away from her son. He snapped his head up and glared daggers at his mother.  
  
"Mom!" Laiktu shouted and shoved Kioko off of him. "I was playing with that."  
  
"No, you were fighting over it," The twenty-six year old corrected her son. "I've told you two a thousand times that if you can't share, then you don't play. Why can't you just get along?"  
  
Kioko stood up, rubbing her backside, "We do get along, Auntie Kaze. It's just when he's being a big butt muncher, meanie, clown fish that we don't get along."  
  
"Same goes to you!" The silver haired boy said.  
  
"ENOUGH!" Kaze said sharply, quieting down both kids automatically. "Until the both of you, yes, don't give me that look Laiktu," she said sternly as Laiktu stuck out his lip and crossed his arms. "Until both of you learn to share without trying to strangle the other, none of you will have this...wooden sword. Now go play."  
  
When neither child moved quickly enough for her liking, she stomped her foot down hard, making them scatter instantly. Kaze sighed and rubbed her temples.  
  
"It's to damn early for this shit," She whispered harshly. Looking up, she caught Kairi still staring at the wooden sword like the red head was in some kind of trance. Kaze raised one of her white eyebrows and looked over the sword, "Hmm…it's a brown, shaggy wooden sword. What's so interesting about it?" The girl still didn't move.  
  
Kaze twitched out of annoyance. She clinched her fists tightly, "Oi! If you keep staring like that, you might as well get married to it."  
  
Kairi finally shook her head and stared up at her friend of nine years. She blushed and scratched the back of her head, "Sorry."  
  
"Would you mind telling me what is so interesting about this damn sword?" The white haired girl rolled her ice blue eyes. Irritation was written all over her face.  
  
"It was Sora's old sword. Riku's is around here somewhere," Kairi whispered. She lowered her head as an apology. "I didn't mean to stare at you like that. I'll take the sword and – ouch!"  
  
Kaze smirked and walked past Kairi, shaking her head, "Never take your eyes off the enemy."  
  
"Ah…" The twenty-three year old rubbed the spot on her head and bent down to pick up a sword. She glared daggers at Kaze's back. "Next time, give me a warning."  
  
The older girl on raised her right arm and shook her head, "The Heartless don't give warnings. And stop staring at me like your going to kill me. I'd hate to have to freeze your face like that." She walked into the kitchen started rummaging through the cabinets for a cup.  
  
_Is it just me or does she look like Riku doing that?_ Kairi frowned. Kaze had been acting weirder than usually the past few months. Kairi decided to just let it go and not poke her nose where it didn't belong. She walked into the kitchen with her friend and helped prepare breakfast for the family.  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note:** I cannot believe I'm actually writing this sequel. I highly thought against it because Something About Us wasn't very popular, but two people pushed me to do it. I want to take this time to thank Silver-hair Angel and Meilin Rae. They pushed me to my limit. Plus, I kept thinking about the sequel so much that I couldn't get it off my mind. I also want to thank everyone who reviews Something About Us. waves frantically Arigatou!  
  
Next chapter: Kairi and Kaze get in a little argument and the children over hear the conversation. Stay tuned.  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy  
  
**Kaze:** Winter Peacecraft-Yuy does not own Kingdom Hearts or anything affiliated with it. I'm just here to make sure the disclaimer is understood.


	2. True Feelings Arise

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Two: True Feelings Arise  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Author's note:** I'm glad to see you guys enjoyed the Prologue and Chapter One! Keep the reviews coming or I won't update! points to Silver-hair Angel and Meilin Rae They're my attorneys. Speak to them if you have any complaints or leave a review!  
  
¤-¤  
  
Kairi's eyes didn't leave her mug after she sat down at the kitchen table. Kaze had already started breakfast for the children and she thought it best to stay out of the white haired girl's way. Her gaze was kept on the hot, creamy coconut milk as it swirled in her mug. Her mind just kept replaying the past events in her mind. It was like a jigsaw puzzle. Most of the pieces in play were missing.  
  
Things just had been out of the ordinary for the past couple of months. Kaze's attitude had changed drastically and Kairi thought, only for a second, that her friend was going to end up killing someone before the year ended. If Laiktu and Kioko weren't in their lives, surely the two would have already committed suicide. Well, Kairi would have anyway. And that brings back the subject back to the two lively children, Laiktu and Kioko.  
  
Laiktu seemed to be turning into a little mini Riku with each passing day. His sheen of silver-blue hair always reminded Kairi of the ocean, as did the young child's aquamarine eyes. His attitude towards the other children on the island was much like his father's indeed, only with a little bit of Kaze's antisocialism mixed in. Kioko, on the other hand, was Sora in a nutshell. From the tips of her chocolate brown hair to the goofy grins she would produce. The little girl always seemed to have the same happy-go-luck attitude Kairi's lover possessed.  
  
_Oh Sora, where are you? You've been gone for far too long. Has something terrible happened to you and Riku? I don't want to think about death. You can't die. Not when you have a child here waiting for you._ Kairi's eyes held so much sorrow and pain. No one could fathom what she was going through.  
  
But she was wrong. One person understood her pain.  
  
"You've been quiet ever since I hit you with that sword," Kaze said nonchalantly. "What's wrong?"  
  
Kairi raised her head to look at her friend, "Oh…nothing. Just thinking. I'm worried about-"  
  
"If you say it, I'll hurt you," Kaze said sternly as she poured herself some hot coconut milk and sat down next to Kairi at the table. "Stop thinking about it, Kairi. It will do you no good to sit there and mope. Get over it."  
  
"How can you say that, Kaze?" Kairi shouted. She slammed her hands down on the table and glared at the woman across from her. "They could be in danger! For all we know, they could be dead in an alley somewhere! Or better yet, with the Heartless, having their hearts taken from them! I love Sora, and I'm not going to sit here and wait for someone to arrive with his bruised and battered body! No way in the fiery pits of hell!  
  
"We've been on this god-forsaken island for seven years by ourselves, with their children! Sooner or later, Kioko and Laiktu are going to wonder where their father's are. And what can we tell them? That Riku and Sora are off saving the world from these creatures of the darkness that don't have fucking hearts? No way. I'm sick of waiting here for something to happen! I want to go and find them."  
  
Kaze didn't look up from her glass. The grip on the small cup increased as anger cursed through her veins; her knuckles turning almost as white as her hair. She sighed, trying to keep her anger under control.   
  
"We're in for a long wait, Kairi. So I suggest you sit down and shut up."  
  
"Wait for what, Kaze? The world to fucking end? Oh wait, that's already happened once, hasn't it? I remember that so well. Do you know why? Because _my home_ was destroyed and I was unconscious for God knows how long. Sora had my heart in his body while he fought and fought against hordes of Heartless and his best friend! I don't want that to happen again!" Kairi's voice kept increasing in volume as if making Kaze deaf would better get her point across.

"Shut up, Kairi."  
  
"Or what? You're going to beat me senseless?" Kairi questioned with sarcasm.  
  
Kaze shrugged her shoulders, "If that's the only way to get you to shut up, then yes. And I'm not kidding around, so don't even think that."  
  
"How typical of you," The red head started and rolled her soft blue eyes.  
  
"And what is that suppose to mean?"  
  
"What do you think it means?" Kairi sassed as she placed a hand on her hip. "You sit there with that cold and stern look on your face all the time, Kaze. You act like you don't care if Sora and _Riku_ may be in danger."  
  
Kaze gripped her mug tighter as Kairi's venomous words registered in her brain. The older girl's eyes shut tightly and she held her breath, trying to keep her temper under control; however, Kairi would not stop her ranting.  
  
-  
  
Meanwhile, upstairs in one of the bedroom, Laiktu and Kioko were waiting patiently for their mother's to tell them breakfast was ready. Laiktu's sighed as his eyes wondered around the room.   
  
"I'm bored," He said to no one in particular. The boy looked over at his friend, more like little sister, and stared at her intently.  
  
Kioko was on the other side of the room, laying flat on her bed.  She made no sign that she heard, or even cared, about Laiktu's boredom.  
  
Laiktu wasn't in the least perturbed as he slid off of the edge of the bed and ambled over to the door.  As if someone had struck her with lightening, Kioko sat up so fast, the rush of wind that followed knocked the sheet covering her bed over the other side of the bed, landing with a barely audible _flop_.  
  
"Where are you going?" Kioko said sharply as Laiktu cracked open the door.  
  
"I'm bored," Laiktu repeated as if that was a valid explanation.  This didn't sit with Kioko, however, and she glared at him, reminding him forcefully of his own mother.  
  
"You heard what Aunt Kaze said!  She said to stay here!"  
  
"Correction my small minded friend," said Laiktu with the air of a professor proving a point.  "My mother said to go play.  In no way did she say to go to our room, or that we had to stay in here, did she?"  
  
"Uh--"  
  
"So therefore," continued Laiktu, "I do have the right to exit this room, for the fact that my mother never said we had to go to our room in the first place or that we had to stay in the room in the first place--"  
  
"If, in a month or so you feel like getting to the point, you _will _tell me, right?" Kioko said sarcastically.  Laiktu shot her a dirty look.  
  
"The point is I can leave, so there!" And with that, he left the room, slamming the door loudly.  
  
"Hey!" Kioko shouted after him and quickly followed suit.  She caught up with him halfway down the stairs, hissing warnings and insults at him like an angry goose.  
  
"And you know how Aunt Kaze doesn't like to be walked in on if she's talking or doing something important!" Kioko wailed, pulling on his shirt.  
  
"And you know how I don't like it when I'm having my shirt nearly yanked off of my back.  So get off!" He yelled, pushing her back on the previous step.  She landed painfully on her butt, but that didn't deter her from hounding Laiktu.  Just as he reached the bottom step, Kioko rushing beside him and prepared to give him a lashing out, loud, arguing voices from the kitchen made them both freeze.  
  
"Whether you like to admit it or not, Kaze, you're a fucking human being too!  You strut around here like you're made of iron!  Things hurt you too, Kaze, I know they do!" It was Kioko's mother's anguished voice issuing from the kitchen.  
  
Kioko raised an eyebrow.  "What's going on?"  
  
Laiktu shrugged.  The next voice they heard was Kaze's voice.  
  
"Yes, like your voice in my ears." Her voice was of deadly calm, but it was shaky indeed.  "Please sit down, Kairi, or you'll be wearing the imprint of my knuckles over your face."  
  
"Oh sure," Kairi said bitterly.  "Take it out on me, why don't you?  If you can't talk your way out of it, you'll let your fists do the talking!"  
  
"Damn straight," Kaze growled.  "Now sit the hell down, Kairi."  
  
"I want to know why Kaze!  Why don't you let yourself care?  Why can't you admit you miss them as much as I do? You damn well know as I do that as soon as Sora and Riku hit the door, I wasn't the only one sleeping with tissues in her hand!"  
  
Kioko and Laiktu exchanged nervous glances.  The subject of their fathers was always a touchy topic to bring about, especially with Kaze.  Indeed, if the slightest comment were made about them, Kaze would drop anything she was holding and mutter something, which sounded like a threat and walk out immediately.  Kioko and Laiktu knew better than to mention it by now; the solid wall was much tougher than their jawbone after all.  
  
"Kairi," Kaze said in a hiss, "if you don't shut the fuck up right now, I'm going to use your bloody face as a fucking punching bag.  So unless you want to start eating your food through a straw, _SHUT UP_." Kaze's hands were shaking violently; her eyes were reduced to cold chips of ice.  Her anger was threatening to boil over.  
  
"Wow," said Kioko in amazement somewhat.  "Your mom is mad."  
  
"Correction," Laiktu began in an oddly strained voice, "she's pissed."  
  
"I'll correction you!" Kioko said, shaking a fist.  
  
"Why do I bother?" Kairi cried.  "Why do I even bother to bring up Sora and Riku, hmm?  Every time I even say the first initial of their goddamn names, you begin to scowl!  I guess I'm the only fucking one that cares that they have been out of our lives for seven years!  _Seven years_, Kaze, and God only knows what could have happened to them!  _But you don't care_!"  
  
Kaze was capable of murder from the way she held her coffee mug.  It was in such a tight grip, that it was likely to crack, just like her nerves.  
  
"Your mom is ticking my mom the heck off," Laiktu snickered.  
  
"Your mom is _always_ ticked off," Kioko said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Not like this.  She usually only tells Aunt Kairi that if she doesn't want her foot so far up her--"  
  
"_Laiktu_!" Kioko cried.  
  
"--That she'll taste her toes for a month, then she needs to shut up," Laiktu said in one breath.  
  
Kioko sighed and they both quieted down after hearing Kairi's next rush of words.  
  
"You don't care, Kaze!" She cried accusingly.  "God, it makes me wonder why Riku ever hung around with you so long, since you obviously didn't give a damn!  You never fucking cared about Riku, did you Kaze, you never fucking ca--"  
  
That was the last straw.  Kaze stood up abruptly, mug in hand, and threw it so forceful that it left a long crack in the wall behind Kairi.  If Kairi hadn't ducked at the right moment, the mug would have surely hit her square in the face.  
  
Laiktu and Kioko gasped.  They didn't see it, but from the sounds of breaking china, they had enough to guess that Kaze reached her end.  
  
Kaze got into Kairi's face, which was now paling by Kaze's explosive temper, and stabbed her finger in her face.  Her face was contorted in rage.  
  
"You… you don't have any idea how I feel about Riku," she said, breathing very hard.  Kairi gulped, and continue to stare at her wide-eyed.  "No idea, Kairi.  No fucking idea." She knocked over her chair and hastened to the doorway.  Kioko and Laiktu, hearing her approaching footsteps, climbed a few more steps to be safe.  
  
"W-where are you going?" Kairi called after her.  
  
"I need to leave," she said furiously, "before I beat your face in so bad, your mother's going to need a microscope to see through the bruises."  
  
She stormed out, in such a furious state that she failed to notice Kioko and Laiktu on the staircase, wide-mouthed and shocked.  
  
It was a long silence before the other talked.  What they had all just absorbed was taking a while to register.  It was apparent why Kaze never mentioned Sora or Riku.  They had never seen her that upset before.    
  
"Man… my mom was _really_ freaking pissed," Laiktu said in a low voice.  
  
"I think that hearing those loud voices when people are, you know, fighting, that means they are pissed," Kioko said sarcastically, but her face was still in mingled shock and anger.  
  
"My mom doesn't usually go off her rocker like that," Laiktu said, after delivering a mild slap in the back of Kioko's head.  "Damn, Aunt Kairi's going to be in the hospital next time we see her."  
  
"_Laiktu_!" Kioko whimpered whether out of the fear of her mother, unconscious, in a hospital bed, or Laiktu's unexpected swear.  She nervously bit on her lip, very much like her mother, then after another long moment of silence, said in a whisper, "Let's see how my mom is doing."  
  
"I guess this means breakfast is postponed until Aunt Kairi's funeral," Laiktu said, sniggering, earning a nudge in the ribs by Kioko.  
  
They both crept in the kitchen to see Kioko's mother sitting in her chair, deathly still.  She was staring hard at the mug in front of her.  
  
"Mom?" Kioko squeaked, moving closer, seeing her mother's eyes swimming with tears.  She did not seem to hear her daughter, or notice anything else except the mug.  
  
"Mom?" Kioko said louder egged on by a shove from Laiktu.  She moved her head slightly in Kioko's direction.  
  
"Can we go…to Uncle Tidus' house?"   
  
Kairi nodded faintly, unable to speak.  Kioko, pity overwhelming her for her mother, was dragged out of the room by Laiktu, who said in a rough voice, "I think that thing, you know, when people move their head up and down, means yes!"  
  
With one last glance at her mother, Kioko left the house, Laiktu leading.  
  
-  
  
In a small, damp cave, hidden to the naked eye by thick shrubbery, Kaze was furiously punching at the chalk-covered walls.  The long streams of blood that trickled down her knuckles as a result of cuts and scrapes she ensued by whacking the wall did not phase her; she continued to punch insanely at the wall until her senses came to her, or mere exhaustion overpowered her.  
  
With her chest heaving, she slapped her palms on the wall, leaning on it.  Tears of anger welled in her eyes.  How dare Kairi say that she didn't care about Riku?  It was true, she did everything in her power to prove she had no feelings for him whatsoever, but how could she let her true emotions take over her like that, in front of none other than Kairi?  _Great, you fucking chicken!  You fucking acted like a wuss!_   
  
She sighed and stared at the wall before her.  It was a crudely drawn picture of what resembled Riku reaching out his hand to a roughly drawn Kaze.  
  
"Fuck!" She burst out, kicking it bitterly.  When she didn't want to think about the prick, he popped up everywhere.  Her eyes then averted to the wooden door to the left of her.  She stared at it for a long period of time.  It was the same door that brought forth destruction of Destiny Island, and the dozens of worlds out there.  
  
She moved closer to it, her hand tentatively reaching for the handle-less door.  "If I wanted to," she muttered to herself.  "If I wanted to…I could open it.  But I don't want anything bad to happen."  
  
As if in response, an eerie, bright white light began to shine through the cracks of the door.  Kaze shut her eyes close, shaking her head violently.  _It's just my imagination, just my imagination…_  
  
Sure enough, when she opened her eyes again, the door was no longer glowing.  Kaze sighed and threw herself against the wall.  
  
"Why, Riku?" Kaze whispered miserably to herself. "Why…"  
  
-  
  
Kairi's mind was clouded with memories swimming in her head, making her slightly dizzy.  Every time her eyelids would flutter close, the spiky, brown haired boy would slide into view.  She shook her head, clutching at her hair in frustration.  Her tiff with Kaze did not lessen her fretfulness about Sora; it only made matters worse.  Kaze's nonchalant attitude about Sora and Riku both did nothing except infuriate Kairi.  How could she act that way, knowing both of their lovers had left them for what seemed like an eternity?  
  
"I need to clean up a bit," she said dimly, standing up as if in a trance.  She looked absent-mindedly around the kitchen.  "That's it…cleaning…" She started by first picking up Kaze's fallen chair.  Next, she grabbed a mop and wiped away the chilly coconut milk and the broken shards of the coffee mug.  Since it wasn't much left to clean, she moved to the spotless living room.  Sighing in frustration, she moved upstairs.    
  
Next to the staircase, the first door on the left was Kaze's room.  Kaze had always warned Kairi countless times, to steer clear of her room.  "What's in my room is none of your damn business," she would say, and then stalk off.  Not wanting to get her lights knocked out, Kairi had always heeded Kaze's threat, but out of sheer confusion due to their argument, Kairi walked right in.  
  
Kairi was surprised by how tedious and plain Kaze's room was.  It was a fairly small room, the almost irritating white walls bare.  A bed stood in the center of the room, white as the rest of the room.  To the right of it, a simple desk was placed against the wall.  It held only a lamp, and…a book.  
  
Kairi walked over to the desk and picked up the desk.  It was a plain, black book.  No writing was visible on either sides of the book.  Kairi shrugged and opened it.  
  
"Kaze must enjoy reading," Kairi said, surprised.  As she opened the book, to her horror, it wasn't a book.  It was Kaze's diary.    
  
Kairi bit down on her bottom lip, looking around the room nervously.  She shouldn't be poking around in the room in the first place, and reading the one thing that Kaze definitely didn't want anyone to see only worsened the situation.  
  
_Ah, but she's not here._ A voice in the back of Kairi's head argued. _How could she possibly find out?_  
  
"I guess it wouldn't hurt…"  
  
Drawing in a deep breath, Kairi opened the book to the first page and stared reading. Her eyes skimmed over the neatly written words on the first couple of pages. Still holding the book in her hand, she walked out of Kaze's room and down into the kitchen, where she sat down at the table, nose still buried in the diary.  
  
-  
  
Kaze was still in the secret place, staring at the door. She kept thinking that if she stayed there long enough that Riku would open the door, and she could run into his arms. She frowned as she realized how childish she was acting. She punched the wall one last time before hearing a satisfying crack in the rock.  
  
"For fuck's sake, Kaze, get a hold of yourself," The harsh whisper echoing through the small cavern. She lifted her shirt up slightly and bit down on the cloth, ripping off a small piece, and then proceeded to wrap up her hand. "You're acting just like Kairi. Remember…remember that hoping and praying doesn't always make things happen. Sometimes force is the only way to accomplish what you want."  
  
_Then why don't you open the door, young one?_   
  
Kaze whipped around and frowned. A man in a hooded outfit stood in the corner of the room. Arms crossed over his chest. His voice was deep and one Kaze hadn't heard in fourteen years. He hadn't spoken aloud, but in her mind. Kaze clinched her fists tightly and turned on her heel to leave the cavern.  
  
_You cannot escape your destiny, my lovely. Stop running and face the darkness_.  
  
Kaze stopped and turned around. Her eyes turned into narrow slits as the harsh words escaped her parted lips, "Go the fuck back to where ever you came from, you sorry son-of-a-bitch. I don't want to hear your shit."  
  
With those words said, Kaze bolted out of the secret place heading back towards her home she shared with Kairi.  
  
-  
  
Kairi sat in the wooden chair, book still in hand, as her mouth hung open and tears threatened to spill over in her eyes. The red head always thought that Kaze had over exaggerated about her past being something she didn't want to talk about, but seeing the words written by Kaze herself made Kairi see a whole different light. Kairi finally realized that Kaze was the way she was not because she chose to be, but because of her past.  
  
It wasn't long before Kairi was yanked from her thought and returned to the diary. Her soft blue eyes darted across the page as if she were in a hurry to finish the book; however, she was more curious as to find out what happened than anything.

_-…Riku introduced me to his friend today. I believe his name was Sora. The kid seemed scrawny and not capable of taking care of himself, but as soon as I saw the Keyblade appear in his hand, I knew better. Riku tells me that his friend is in love with a girl named Kairi back on Destiny Island. I told him he was stupid, that people don't fall in love. I almost hit the prick when he said that someone as beautiful as myself should believe in love. (K.Y.)_-  
  
Kairi quickly turned the page and continued reading.

-_Two weeks have passed since I met Sora. The kid is okay, but he's annoying as shit. Always smiling and goofing off. How can he possess such an attitude with the weight of the world's hanging on his shoulder? I just cannot fathom this logic. Mother always told me that it was healthy to have a happy personality, but mother is no longer with me. Rest her soul. I wish she were here now, so I could ask her advice. (K.Y.)-_

_-It seems that my meeting Riku was not bad after all. Although I will not admit this to anyone, I think I'm starting to have strange feelings for him. Whenever he comes near me, my heart speeds up and my knees turn to jelly. AH! I should kill that fucking asshole for doing this to me! I shouldn't be feelings these emotions. It's what killed my mother. (K.Y.)-_

_-Riku tells me that he's leaving for Hollow Bastion tomorrow with Sora to regroup with the others. Apparently, my brother is with them, so I'm afraid that I cannot go. He and I do not get along, and I will be damned if anyone finds out my secrets. Riku said that he will miss me terribly and he wants me to see him off tomorrow. I was shocked to learn the Sora wasn't the only keyblade master. When Riku pulled out the Oblivion, I almost screamed. I've been living with him for two years now and he fails to tell me this little piece of information. I am no different, however. I've kept my secrets from him as well._

_He told me that he wanted to tell me something. That is was important. He took me outside on the balcony of the hotel in Traverse Town and pointed a star out to me. He said it was his home and that he wanted me to take care of it. Before I could even ask him what the fuck he was talking about, the mother fucker kissed me. AND I LET HIM! That's the worst part! But…his lips were soft and his musky smell intoxicated me. I could see straight after he shoved his tongue in my mouth. I actually enjoyed the kiss, and I didn't want it to stop. I realized then that I had fallen in love with someone that was forbidden. (K.Y.)-_  
  
Kairi couldn't help but smile at the small piece of information she had just discovered. She giggled slightly.  
  
"Ooh, Kaze. You naughty girl," Kairi whispered.  
  
Before she could read another word, the door flew open. Kairi's face paled. Caught red handed.  
  
-  
  
Kaze felt much better after releasing her anger on the walls, but was still a little ticked at the unexpected visitor. She opened the door, expecting to get some piece and quiet, but stopped in her tracks and held her breath. Kairi was sitting at the table. Reading a book. Not just any book, Kaze's diary.  
  
The white haired girl could only stare in shock for two seconds before she frowned and clinched her fists so tight that her nails broke through her skin. She let out her breath slowly and inhaled again.  
  
"Uh…hi!" Kairi said sheepishly as she tried to hide the book from the older girl. "It's not what you think. Honestly Kaze, I—"  
  
Kaze didn't say a word. She walked to Kairi quickly and yanked the book from the younger girl's hand. She stared down at Kairi, her ice blue eyes filled with betrayal and hurt. She turned quickly and ascended the stairs, her braid flying behind her as she went to her room.  
  
Kairi shot up out of her seat quickly to catch up with Kaze. She was waving her arms about wildly and apologizing profusely. Kaze threw open her door and stepped inside, placing the book down on the night stand, back facing Kairi and breathing rapidly.  
  
"Kaze, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to read it, I swear! I was cleaning house and thought that I could clean up your room too so you wouldn't have to do it. And I thought it was a book so I started reading it and I couldn't put it down! I'm really sorry! Please-"  
  
"Kairi…" Kaze whispered harshly. She couldn't take the girls ranting anymore as she spread her legs apart slightly and turned around, fist connecting with Kairi's face.  
  
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**Winter:** EH! I updated! I can't believe I'm actually going through with this! cheers I want to thank Silver-hair Angel. She helped me out with this more than she should have. In reality, this should be considered her story too. glomps her She's like a little sister to me now!  
  
_Next Chapter_: Kairi and Kaze finally settle the score, but how? Meanwhile, Kioko and Laiktu are at the one place their mothers told them not to be at, and with Tidus and Selphie's children nonetheless…  
  
§§  
  
**Reviewers Corner**:  
  
Ac4cherryz (From Something About Us): Thank you so much for the comments. There are some other good S/K fics out there too. I honestly don't think I wrote the best one. Thank you for the review.  
  
Starprincess11 (From Something About Us): I'm ecstatic that you like my fic, but there is nothing wrote with yaoi. I know some people are against it. I'm not for it or against it, but I do enjoy reading it. Don't be offended by this, but yaoi is just another way to express two people in love.  
  
I-Da-Ho  (From Chapter One): Same to you, and I bet you do hold this title.  
  
§§  
  
Well that's it! Keep watch out for the next chapter!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	3. Aggressions and Apparitions

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Three: Aggressions and Apparitions  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Author's note:** The story seems to be getting a little bit more popular. Hopefully I'll have a good chunk of reviews soon! Please! begs Anyways, here's Chapter Three! ENJOY!  
  
¤-¤  
  
Kairi didn't have time to defend herself from Kaze's outburst. The blow to her face came quick as she heard a small _crack_ in her jaw. She landed on the floor with a thud and looked up at her friend, confused beyond belief. Kairi couldn't believe Kaze had just slapped--no, punched her in the jaw. Her tiny hand flew to her mouth in shock.  
  
"What the hell is your problem?" Kairi's muffled voice called out to her best friend. It somewhat hurt to talk.  
  
"I told you to never go in my room, Kairi. I hate nosey people, you know that."  
  
"Well shit, Kaze, you didn't have to fucking hit me, now did you?!" Kairi practically screamed, despite that pain in her jaw.  
  
Kaze raised her head and stared down at the girl sprawled on the floor. She smirked and sauntered past Kairi towards the door and down the steps towards the kitchen. Kairi frowned and picked herself up off the floor, hand still to her mouth, and dashed down the stares to see Kaze's head in the freezer, taking out pieces of ice and placing them in a rag.  
  
"I was talking to you!" Kairi tried to sound somewhat mean, but it just wasn't happening. The bruise on her jaw was already starting to hurt worse.  
  
Kaze shut the freezer door and turned to Kairi, wrapping the ice cubes in the purple rag, "Sit down."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Unless you want me to hit you on the _other_ side of your face, I suggest you do as I say," Kaze's voice didn't waver one bit. Oh yeah, she was still pissed off.  
  
Although Kairi had the urge to fight, she decided that getting hit by Kaze again was not on her 'things to do list'. So, with a frown on her swollen face, she sat down at the table.  
  
Kaze sat on Kairi's right side and held up the homemade ice pack, "Move your hand."  
  
Kairi did as she was told and shivered when she felt the cold of the rag on her jaw. She winced and held the icepack in place as she watched Kaze get up and rummage around the kitchen for something to drink. Thankfully, the coconut milk was still hot, and she poured herself another mug, intent on not smashing this one in the wall. That's when Kairi noticed it.  
  
"What happened to your hand?"  
  
"I imagined a solid rock wall was your face and started punching the shit out of it," Kaze said bluntly and sipped her milk. "I honestly didn't think I would end up hitting you today."  
  
Kairi rolled her eyes and shifted her weight, "Neither did I." She winced again.  
  
Kaze smiled morbidly, "It's only a broken jaw."  
  
"Oh…_only_ a broken jaw. That's lovely," Kairi sneered.  
  
The two women sat in silence for a while before the ice started to melt and water dripped into Kairi's lap. She cursed, but choose to deal with it. Kaze shook her head and took the icepack from Kairi, walking over to the sink to dump the contents out.  
  
Kairi ran a hand over her jaw and felt the knot starting to form. She couldn't believe she had acquired a painful broken jaw over reading measly little diary, which brought back the unanswered questions Kairi wanted to ask Kaze. Applying little pressure on the right side of her jaw as a crutch, she looked at Kaze, who was now sitting across from her again.  
  
"What happened next?"  
  
Kaze looked up and raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about? Did I hit you too hard?"  
  
Kairi shook her head, "What happened after Riku kissed you that night? You know, before he left with Sora to go back to Hollow Bastion."  
  
"Kairi…" Kaze gripped her mug tighter. _If I don't tell her now, she'll bug the piss out of me until I tell her. Dammit, why does she insist on poking her nose into my business_?  
  
"You can tell me anything, Kaze," Kairi said, trying to sound persuasive.  
  
The white headed girl shook her head, "You're being nosey again, Kairi. Do you _want_ to get hit again?"  
  
"Please don't hit me again!" The younger girl pleaded.  
  
_Might as well tell her so she'll leave me alone._ Kaze sighed and looked into her friend's eyes, "Well, after the kiss, he told I needed to go to bed, that we both had to get up early the next morning. Although, I'm guessing he decided that he wanted to sleep with me that night, so he climbed in bed with me. We'd done that before, but only when he couldn't see. I didn't seem to mind, but after kissing him like that, it felt a little awkward.  
  
"When I woke up the next morning, he was lying awake in bed, watching me. 'The dark forces are getting stronger, babe. I want you to go to Destiny Island and train Kairi. Something bad is going to happen, and I want her to be prepared for it. But Kaze, I want you to know that even if I don't come back, I'll always love you.' Those were the last words he said to me before he used the Oblivion's power to send me here."  
  
Kairi just stared, mouth wide open. Kaze looked at her, becoming aggravated, and raised her eyes, pressing her lips together, which was her way of asking, "What is it?"  
  
"I…just cannot believe…you actually told me what happened," Kairi said, shocked that her friend had actually told her about the past. "Okay, next question. Why do you hate your father?"  
  
"That," Kaze stared, "is stepping over the boundary."  
  
"Okay then. Who is your brother?"  
  
"Kairi…"  
  
"Okay, okay!" The red head held up her hands defensively, but winced when her jaw once again became sore. "Who raped you?"  
  
Kaze sighed again, "Are you asking for a death wish? Because I'll be happy to give it to you."  
  
"No ma'am," Kairi said sheepishly. She slumped down further in her seat and pouted. She wanted to know what Kaze was hiding. Why did she hate her father and her brother? More importantly, who were they? And who had had the nerve to take Kaze's purity away from her at such a young age?  
  
"Stop it, Kairi. I'm not going to answer your questions, so just give it up," Kaze said coldly. "You see, this is the only reason I've never volunteered any information about myself to you. This is exactly the fucking reason. You'll sit there and ask me twenty questions to the point where I'll lose my temper again and end up breaking more than your jaw."  
  
Kairi blushed slightly out of embarrassment. Kaze had been right, and she felt ashamed for it. She didn't want her friend to feel like that towards her. She muttered something that sounded like an apology and got up to leave, but Kaze grabbed her arm.  
  
"What?" Kairi asked, but was answered when she felt this incredibly, soothing warmth enter her body. She closed her eyes as a green aura surrounded her, and the injury she was dealt early healed.  
  
Kaze smiled, "Normally, I don't _do_ that type of thing, but I felt I deserved you something."  
  
"For hitting me?" Kairi asked.  
  
"No," Kaze shook her head. "For not killing you."  
  
Kairi slapped Kaze on the arm, "You couldn't have killed me if you wanted to."  
  
"Oh really?" Kaze said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You're forgetting your place, missy. Who do you think taught you those moves? I could counter anything you dish out."  
  
Kairi laughed for the first time that day and wrapped her arms around Kaze's neck, glomping the other girl. She pulled back and stared into her friend's eyes.

"You know, the way we're acting right now kinda reminds me of Riku and Sora," Kairi's soft blue eyes appeared downcast at the mention of their names. "I'm sorry, Kaze. For this morning and the whole diary thing. I just…I just miss Sora. I wish I knew what was going on."  
  
Kaze, not wanting to reveal her true feelings towards Riku again, shrugged, "I know you do, but, like I said before, we're in for a long wait, Kai. We won't be getting off this island unless something phenomenal happens."  
  
-  
  
Laiktu and Kioko stood outside of the Secret Place with Kaori and Haru, Tidus and Selphie's children. Kaori was older than Haru by eighteen months. He had sandy blonde hair and bright green eyes, which he got from his mother. He loved going on adventures and was usually the one to get in trouble by his parents. He was older than Laiktu and Kioko, being eight and a half years old.  
  
Haru, on the other hand, was the youngest of the four. She had shoulder length brown hair and green eyes that seemed to glow when she was excited. She took after her mother not only in looks, but personality wise as well. Haru was always trying to keep Laiktu and Kioko out of trouble, and sometimes had to restrain Kioko from joining the two older boys.  
  
"So," Kaori stared at each of his friends. "Who's going in first?"  
  
Haru jumped up, flailing her arms about in the air wildly, "Have you lost your marbles, bro? Mom and dad said that place was forbidden! As in, we can't go in there!"  
  
"And your point?" Kaori said and shot her a glare. "Look, our parents aren't here. It's not like something is going to jump out and bite us!"  
  
Kioko curled her lips up and shook her head, "We don't need to go in there, you guys. Mom always told me that the cave was haunted and it had a strange power. She said a door was in there too, and she didn't want me to ever go in unless I was with her."  
  
Kaori rolled his eyes, "You always do what she says. Fine, you two can be a wuss. C'mon Laiktu, we'll go in."  
  
Laiktu sighed, "Dude, I have to say I'm with them on this one. Even though I'm dying to know what's in there too, I just don't think we should go in there unless we have an adult with us."  
  
Kaori turned around, "I can't believe you're chickening out on me! Wait until the island here's about this! The fearless Laiktu is afraid of going in a cave!"  
  
"What did you say?" Laiktu's eyes turned to slits as he stepped up to his friend. "Dare to repeat that?"  
  
Kaori took the younger boy's challenge, "I said you were a wuss. I bet if your father were here, he'd go in! From what dad told me, Riku wasn't afraid of anything. He'd probably laugh at you too and call you a wuss."  
  
"Take that back," Laiktu growled and bawled his fist up. "You know _nothing_ about my father. So, if you want to keep all of your teeth, Kaori, I suggest you shut your cake hole before I fill it with my fist!"  
  
"Laiktu, no!" Kioko hissed and grabbed Laiktu's shoulder and pulled him back towards her, "Calm down, Laiktu. There just words. He can't hurt you."  
  
"What, you have little girls protecting you now?" Kaori taunted. "I never realized what kind of a wuss you are until now."  
  
"You shut the hell up before I splatter your brains all over the fucking lawn!" Laiktu whispered harshly.  
  
Ignoring her best friend's choice of words, Kioko stepped in front of him, blocking each of them from the other, "Leave him alone, Kaori. If he doesn't want to go in, then he doesn't want to go in. Let's do this some other day. I have a bad feeling."  
  
Kaori turned towards Kioko, "Unless you wanna get hit, momma's girl, I suggest you stay out of this."  
  
_Oh, that's it!_ Laiktu thought. _No one talks to Kioko like that and gets away with it!_  In a flash, Laiktu and tackled Kaori, causing the two to fall into the little pond in front of the Secret Place. The two wrestling in the water while Kioko and Haru were trying to get them to stop. Suddenly, a mysterious wind blew out of nowhere.   
  
_You shouldn't fight young children. Come inside, and I will show you what lies beyond the door, _chimed in a low voice deep inside of the Secret Place.  
  
Kaori, Laiktu, and the struggling Kioko and Haru trying to restrain them both leaped backwards.  Kioko and Haru scrambled over the two boys towards the entrance while Laiktu and Kaori unglued themselves from one another and looked around wildly.  
  
"Who's there?" Kioko meekly asked with the air of one answering the door.  
  
"You dummy!" Laiktu growled.  "Do you always ask that stupid question to bodiless voices?"  
  
_There you go again, _the voice said, clicking his tongue disapprovingly.  The kids stared horrified into the bleak darkness.  _Wouldn't you like to do something more…worthwhile than arguing? Wouldn't you like to come inside?_  
  
It didn't take more than five seconds for the kid's reaction times to sink in. In a flash, they ran out of the cave, Kaori and Laiktu crawling over the girls, screaming their heads off.  Indeed, they ran themselves almost into the ocean to get as far as humanly possible away from that voice.  
  
Panting, Kioko was the first to speak.  
  
"What _was_ that?"  
  
Laiktu responded to this, regaining his voice, and bad temper back.  
  
"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WHAT WAS THAT'? ARE YOU REALLY THAT DUMB, KIOKO, OR DID AUNT KAIRI ACCIDENTALLY COOK YOUR BRAINS FOR BREAKFAST ONE MORNING!_"  
  
"I…told…you," Haru said, chest heaving.  
  
"You are _all_ a bunch of thumb sucking babies!" Kaori bit out, returning to his pompous self now that he was clear from the shadows of the Secret Place.  
  
Laiktu, who had momentarily forgotten about their little scuffle thanks to the appearance of the creepy voice, made a move to lunge for him, but thought better of it.  Very reminiscent of his father, he closed his eyes and casually put his hands in his pockets.  
  
"You're right, Kaori."  
  
"_HE WHAT?!_" shouted Kioko and Haru at the same time while Kaori looked dumbstruck.  
  
"Yes, you're right, we're complete babies. We're going to go home and cry our eyes about how a bunch of wimps we are."  
  
"He is?" Haru said.  
  
"I am?" Kaori said.  
  
"We will?" Kioko said.  
  
"We are?" Kioko and Haru said.  
  
Both Kioko and Haru looked as though knocking Laiktu out would return him to his senses, but neither dared to act on it. Laiktu then opened his eyes, a wicked gleam in them.  
  
"I mean…I can't _imagine _the mighty _Kaori_ being afraid of a little voice…"  
  
"What do you mean 'little'?" Kioko said at the top of her lungs.  
  
"What do you mean 'the mighty Kaori'?" Haru said dumbly. Both seemed a little slow on the uptake of where Laiktu was going with his understatements.  
  
"I mean, I'm sure he was getting ready to defend us all little chickens from that voice the way he acted in the cave…"  
  
Both girls were baffled, but Kaori, who seemed to pick up on Laiktu's motives, blushed deeply and pawed at the ground with his foot.  
  
"Weren't you?" Laiktu threw out, looking the boy dead in the eye, a satisfied smirk on his face. He growled for a moment, then threw out his hands in exasperation.  
  
"_FINE_!  I was a great git okay, a complete wuss!" He said, contempt heavy in his voice. "Is that what you wanted me to say?"  
  
Reading the expression on Laiktu's smug face, and the fits of giggles the girls were having in the back were enough to answer his question.  He crossed his arms, and without looking at him, said in an unconvincing voice, "Sorry."  
  
Laiktu shrugged it off.  "Don't mention it…ever. If you do, I'll break your face."  
  
"It took you guys this long to figure out he was a wimp?" Haru joked. Kaori tossed a handful of sand in her face. Grumbling, she stood up and dusted herself off.  
  
"Well…I think we should go home?" Kioko suggested, looking at Laiktu.

"Fine, just don't expect to eat properly anytime soon.  The way mom was acting, we'll have to eat out of our shoes from now on."

Kioko gave him a glare while Kaori and Haru tried to suppress their giggles.

"Bye guys, oh and I guess Kaori counts too," Kioko said, a small smile on her lips.  Her and Laiktu walked away, leaving a howling Haru and a grumpy looking Kaori.  
  
When they reached the house, Laiktu cracked the door open.  "Here goes nothing," he said as he swung the door open all the way.  
  
There were no scattered pieces of china or other signs that a murder was committed; on the contrary, the two mothers were sitting at the kitchen table, talking in normal voices. They both exchanged something like "What the hell?" glances.  Not even more than seven hours ago, they were planning Kioko's mother's funeral, and now they were talking with the air of one commentating the weather.  
  
Laiktu shut the wooden door and pursed his lips together. It was then that he tasted cooper in his mouth. He touched his bottom lip and frowned. It was busted open, lightly bleeding. Maybe his mother wouldn't notice. Maybe she wouldn't even notice his existence in the room.  
  
"Hi mom! We're home!" Kioko said happily as she ran up to her mother, wrapping her tanned arms around Kairi's waist.  
  
_I wish I could hit her sometimes and get away with it._ Laiktu thought. He saw Kairi embrace her daughter back and he frowned. His mother hardly ever hugged him. In a way, he was jealous of the attention Kioko got from Kairi, but remembered that his mother rarely let her emotions show.  
  
Kaze looked at her son like she normally did, with no expression in her eyes, until she saw his lips, "Whom did you fight with this time, Laiktu?" She glanced from her son to Kioko, who jumped away from her mother, a fearful expression on her face.  
  
The little girl held up her hands, "I didn't do it! I swear! He got in a fight with Kaori because Kaori called Laiktu a wimp for not going in the Secret Place with him and – "  
  
Kairi shot up from her seat, the wooden chair falling on the ground, as she slammed her hands down on the table, "The WHAT?!"  
  
Laiktu grumbled in dismay. Reaching out, he popped Kioko in the back of the head lightly, "Nice going, big mouth."  
  
"What have I _told_ you about that place? As a matter of fact, I've told _BOTH_ of you several times to not go in there without Kaze or myself. Why don't you two ever listen to us?" Kairi was practically fuming as she paced through the kitchen. "You two could have been hurt, and who would've been there to help you? Kaori and Haru can't do anything!"  
  
Kaze stood up and grabbed Kairi's arm, making the red head stop her pacing, "Stop that, it's getting annoying." She looked down at the two children. "Did anything unusual happen?"  
  
Laiktu shifted from foot to foot, not wanting to tell his mother of the spooky voice. She would ground him and then send him to his room without supper, and he was about to die of starvation. Kioko, however, didn't understand the fact that lying or keeping her mouth shut was for the better.  
  
"Well…we did hear someone talking inside the cave," Kioko said sheepishly, afraid of getting in trouble.  
  
Kaze paled from her forehead down to the tips of her fingers. Her face seemed almost as white as her hair as she cleared her throat, trying to stay calm, "What…what did the voice say?"  
  
Kioko placed a finger on her chin, trying to remember, "Um…he said something like we shouldn't be fighting and that, if we came in, he would show us what was behind the door." She looked at her mom, "We didn't mean to go there, mom! Kaori said it would be fun!"  
  
Kairi rolled her soft blue eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, "If Kaori said it would be fun to jump off a cliff, would you do it?"  
  
"Well…no," Kioko whispered.  
  
Laiktu smirked, "I would if he jumped with me and we landed in water." He was trying to be funny and break the serious mood.  
  
"This isn't the time for you smartass mouth, Laiktu," Kaze said sternly. She pointed at her son, after placed a hand on her hip. "_You_ and Kioko both went to the one place we told you to _never ever_ go to. From this day forward, you are not to go and see Kaori and Haru unless an adult supervises you. As a matter of fact, you can't see him for a week, and if you give me any lip, two weeks. Is that clear, young man?"  
  
"_MOM_!" Laiktu whined. Even though Haru got on his nerves, he was the only guy on the island he could converse with.  
  
"That makes two," Kaze said sharply.  
  
"What about me?" Kioko asked happily, hoping she wouldn't get in trouble.  
  
Kairi nodded towards Kaze, "Same goes to you, young lady. You're grounded from seeing those two until we say."  
  
"But that's not fair!" Kioko and Laiktu said.  
  
"And I don't think it's fair you two went against my wishes," Kaze said. She glanced at the clock. "Now, I want you to go and bathe and get ready for bed. It's almost eight o'clock."  
  
Laiktu stared at his mother in disbelief, "What about supper? I'm starving!"  
  
Kaze shifted her weight and walked towards her son, bending down in front of him, "You disobeyed my rules, son; therefore, you can fix your own supper or not eat at all. It's your choice. Now, go bathe or I'll make it _three_ weeks."  
  
Knowing better than to argue with this mother, Laiktu hung his head low and walked up the stairs. Kioko stayed in the kitchen, staring between Kaze and her mother, until Laiktu was out of earshot. She smiled angelically at her mother.  
  
"Am I really grounded, mom?" She said sweetly.  
  
Kairi raised both of her eyebrows and mirrored the face Kioko was giving her, "Yes. I would suggest following in Laiktu's footsteps, Kioko, before I worsen your punishment."  
  
The little brunette pouted slightly and headed up the stairs, feet dragging behind her.  
  
¤-¤  
  
WEE! I finished Chapter Three! What did you guys think? Suspenseful enough? Who do you think is in the cave? Does Kaze know him? And will Kairi and Kaze ever get to Sora and Riku again? What about Kioko and Laiktu? All of these questions will be answered in the following chapters. Until then, REVIEW DAMMIT! Or I won't write another word to this fic. Well…Silver-hair Angel might disagree against it.  
  
**Silver-hair Angel:** Damn right!  
  
sigh See, I told you.  
  
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Reviewers Corner:  
  
Harry: I believe they settled the score, no? Kaze is just one person you don't want to mess with.  
  
Silver-hair Angel: Don't you just love the children? They're so cute and sweet and they get along so well! Yeah…right. Yes, you are right, no one should intrude in Kaze's private place, ne? And you'll get an appearance from Ansem soon enough, don't worry.  
  
Linear: I guess Kairi was high when she went into her room, no? I'm glad you think I'm doing a good job on Kaze so far. Yes, she's a bitch with a capital 'b'. How do you think the children should act? I'm trying to get it to where everyone loves them. Feel free to add anything you think should happen.  
  
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_Next Chapter_: Kairi finally gets her wish as something phenomenal happens, but…who are these hooded figures and why are they taking Laiktu and Kioko? Stay tuned!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	4. The Beginning of the End

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Four: The Beginning of the End  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Author's note: **4EEH! I seem to be getting more reviews from different people! Most of my loyal fans are still around to give me nice, supporting reviews. Silver-hair Angel wants to know why you guys aren't reviewing. Please…review for me.   
  
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Kairi looked as pale as sour milk whereas Kaze was nothing sort of calm. Motivated by her shaky nerves, she walked stiffly to the fridge, her glass in hand, and turned the faucet on to full power. Kaze had a dreadful feeling that Kairi was bound to babble uncontrollably, and sure enough, seconds later her mouth took off.  
  
"I mean, I can't _believe_ they would do such a thing like that, what _were _thinking--" Kairi's glass sat in the sink as water began to spill into it.  
  
_Try not to kill her, try not to kill her_.Kaze thought repetitively to herself as Kairi chattered on.  
  
"--And God only _knows_ what was in that cave, or they could have broken their legs, or they could have been stuck in there--" The faucet spewed out water endlessly, beginning to fill the cup to the brim and overflow.  
  
_Don't hit her, Kaze, try not to send her to the hospital in one day…_  
  
"--The _one_ place we told them _not_ to go to they go in anyway, and we only know what could have spoken to them, it could have been freaking Ansem for all we know, but--" The sink was now submerged in water. It rose over the top of the sink, crept over the counter, and splashed on the ground.    
  
Her patience cracking like a toothpick, Kaze's voice boomed agitatedly through the kitchen. "Kairi,unless you want to be shitting your teeth out your ass, I suggest you _shut up_!"  
  
Her mouth clamped shut automatically, her lips so tight that they were the color of her complexion.  
  
"And turn the sink off for fuck's sake, before you turn the kitchen into the fucking Titanic!" Kaze snapped.   
  
Kairi, who was rattling off while the sink was left to its own disposal, in haste turned off the faucet. She moved backwards, nearly busting her head on the floor after slipping on the spilled water. She grabbed onto the counter.  
  
Kaze sighed at Kairi's idiocy, but was satisfied enough that she had her trap shut. She walked to the small closet in the kitchen and grabbed the mop.  
  
"Clean it up," Kaze said as she tossed the mop at Kairi.  
  
The red head caught the mop, but lost her footing as she landed on the floor. She cursed loudly and stared at Kaze, "Why don't you clean it up?"  
  
"I didn't make the mess, now did I?"  
  
Kairi sighed and grabbed the counter again, hoisting herself up off the floor. She walked carefully across the wet floor to a dry spot and started moving the mop back and forth, gathering up the water.  
  
Kaze rolled her ice blue eyes and grabbed pans from the cabinet, placing them on the stove. Avoiding the wet spots, she walked to the freezer and grabbed one large frozen catfish and a small can of sardines. Placing the food on the table, Kaze opened the refrigerator and pulled out a head of lettuce, a ripe tomato, a cucumber, and three green onions. She closed the door with her foot and walked back to the counter.  
  
Looking up from the spilt water, Kairi raised an eyebrow at her friend, "I thought you weren't going to fix supper."  
  
Kaze shrugged, "I think the punishment will suffice, but I'm not cruel enough to send my son to bed without supper _knowing_ he didn't eat breakfast this morning, and possibly lunch." She opened the drawer and pulled out a fairly large knife.  
  
"Fair enough," Kairi said and got back to mopping the floor. While pushing the mop to and fro, she decided to make idol chat. "I wonder whose voice was in the cave?"  
  
Kaze stopped chopping up the lettuce. She inhaled and exhaled slowly.  
  
"--I mean, do you think it could've been Ansem?" Kairi was now leaning against the far wall of the kitchen. "He was talking about a door--"  
  
_Don't do it, Kaze. Resist temptation_. Kaze was trying her best to ignore Kairi's ranting. Why couldn't the girl just listen to her? She shut her eyes and gripped the handle of the knife tighter.  
  
"--For all we know, he could've been trying to take them away from us! He's probably got Sora and Riku and wants their child--" Kairi stopped in mid sentence as a knife zoomed by and stuck in the wall an inch from her head. She gulped.  
  
Kaze stood face Kairi, arm still extended and an unreadable expression on her face. She walked over to Kairi and pulled the kitchen knife out of the wall, and pointed it in Kairi's face, which was full of fear.  
  
"Next time," Kaze whispered harshly, "I won't miss."  
  
Kairi watched Kaze retreat back to the counter and continue to prepare supper. _I need to learn to keep my mouth shut._ Without another thought, she returned back to her previous task: cleaning up the floor.  
  
-  
  
Laiktu's stomach grumbled loudly as another minute passed.  It was nearly fifteen minutes to nine, and both Kioko and Laiktu had not a sliver of food in their stomachs all day.  
  
"I'm hungry!" Kioko huffed, slamming her head on her pillow.  
  
"Well if _someone_," Laiktu said in a hard voice, glaring her way, "hadn't told our moms what we were doing, maybe we wouldn't be nearly starving!"  
  
"It wasn't my fault!" she whined. "You shouldn't have been in there in the first place!"  
  
"Kioko, have you ever heard of lying?" Laiktu asked. Kioko, from her apparent silence and blank look, stared at him clueless.  
  
"Lying?" Kioko asked dumbly.  
  
"Yes, that thing, you know, where you don't tell the truth?"  
  
"Lying?" Kioko asked in an irritatingly dumb fashion. Laiktu slapped his palm to his forehead.  
  
"Yes, Kioko!"  
  
"Oh, lying," Kioko said as if hearing him for the first time.  
  
"No, really?" Laiktu asked sarcastically.  
  
"Then what?" Kioko asked, confused. Laiktu gave a growl of exasperation.  
  
"Yes, Kioko, lying!  Damn…"  
  
"Lie to who?" Kioko said slowly. Laiktu wondered if all of the times he repeatedly knocked her upside the head rattled her brain.  
  
"Our moms!" Laiktu shouted as his stomach rumbled again. His hunger and Kioko's stupidity were overwhelming him.  
  
"Our moms?" asked a shocked looking Kioko, wasting no time in answering his question.  
  
"You little--"  
  
He was cut off when Kaze strolled into the room. She gave both kids a piercing look, mainly because Kairi worked her nerves downstairs.    
  
"Dinner's ready," she said shortly.  
  
"But, I thought we weren't eating," Laiktu said, not without relief.  Kioko, still baffled by Laiktu's previous question, was about to say something when Kaze's announcement of dinner silenced her.  
  
"Well, if you want to continue developing an anorexic lifestyle, that's fine by me.  It'll be more food for me and Kairi then."  
  
Laiktu and Kioko, nearly knocking her over, flew past her in a flash, not even before the last word left her lips. Bolting down the stairs, they rushed into the kitchen and attacked the food like a fat kid on cake. Laiktu grabbed three big slices of fish and a bowl full of salad. Kioko opted for salad only, at first, and didn't bother to use her silver ware as she inhaled her dinner.  
  
"Hungry are we?" Kairi asked the two children.  
  
Laiktu nodded his head quickly. He swallowed his piece of fish before replying, "As hungry as a hostage!"

Kioko practically swallowed her own serving of the salad, cramming fist full after fist full of the greenery in her mouth. After her small serving was gone, she grabbed the whole salad bowl and began to wolf it down the in same fashion.

Kairi was torn between laughing and lashing them out for their blasphemous eating behavior. She looked at them both, concealing a small smile behind her hand.

Kaze finally made it downstairs only to walk in the kitchen and see that the kids were well on their way to eating the table next.

"I don't think we raised _ANIMALS _in this house," she yelled over their loud munching noises. "Although I have seen dogs eat better than you two." The kids looked up at her, half of a fish sticking out of Laiktu's mouth, and salad dressing smeared all over Kioko's face.

At the sight of their faces, Kaze nearly broke into fits of giggles like Kairi. Clearing her throat and trying to look as strict as possible, she said to them, "I believe that you two know how to eat with utensils. Grab them now and eat what's left of your food like you weren't raised by wolves."

They obeyed and took a seat. Laiktu and Kioko were still hungrily consuming all the food in sight, but took care to be as neat as possible.

"So mom," Laiktu said after taking a huge gulp, "I guess this means we aren't grounded, right?"

"Unless there is another Kaze walking around this house that I have yet to hear of, hell no," Kaze said simply, neatly cutting up her fish and taking a spoonful.

"But mom--" Laiktu began, but Kaze put up the sharp looking knife she was holding.

"If you don't want to learn how to eat with your feet, drop the conservation." Laiktu looked as though losing nearly all of his limbs was a reasonable price for saying what was running through his mind, but thought better of it and continued to eat.

"But then why are we eating tonight when you said we couldn't?" Kioko asked innocently, looking up at her mother with her puppy dog eyes.

"Listen, we may not have wanted you to resort to eating tissue paper," began Kaze, still politely eating her food, "but that doesn't mean we are not going to enforce the rules in this house. If you've done wrong, you get punishment, no breaks. Is that understood?"

Kioko shook her head, but Laiktu suddenly took an interest in applying hot sauce to his meatless fish bone.

"Laiktu, unless you want me to clean the ear wax out of your ears with this knife, I suggest you answer me. Do you understand?"

"Yes mother," he grumbled.

"Kioko, while Kaze is not your mother, she still treats you like her daughter, and even though Laiktu is not my son, I treat him like he is. So whatever she says goes for you too and vice versa."

"You're going to clean out my ears with a knife?" Kioko said horrified, dropping her fork. Laiktu rolled his eyes whereas Kaze shook her head slightly.

"No, Kioko!" Kairi said, barely holding back a laugh. "I just want you to know… that we both are looking out for you."  
  
After that, dinner was ate in silence. The occasionally smack from Laiktu and clatter of the utensils on the china plates was heard. After all was said and done, Laiktu and Kioko put their dirty dishes in the sink and retreated to their room to get ready for bed. Kaze and Kairi followed shortly to tuck the two in for the night.  
  
Kioko pulled back her midnight blue covers and hopped into bed, snuggling underneath her comforter. Kairi walked in and sat on the edge of the bed and lightly stroked her daughter's brown hair. She bent over and gave Kioko a light kiss on the forehead.  
  
"Goodnight, Kioko. Sweet dreams. I love you."  
  
Kioko wrapped her small arms around her mother's neck and kissed her cheek, "I love you too, mom. You have sweet dreams too!"  
  
The red head smiled down at her daughter and pulled the covers up to Kioko's shoulders and, before leaving, gave her daughter another quick peck on the forehead before walking out of the door and letting Kaze in.  
  
Laiktu, who had been watching the whole time, frowned as he pulled his nightshirt over his head. Why couldn't his mother tell him stuff like that? Why couldn't she hug and kiss him at night? Even though he thought all girls had cooties, he knew his mother didn't. He sat on the edge of the bed to take off his socks before getting under the covers and rolling over.  
  
Kaze frowned. Sometimes she regretted the way she acted towards her son, but the shadows of her past looming over every corner reminded her daily of her unfortunate childhood. She had promised herself long ago that she would not treat her son how her father had treated her. Kaze walked over to Laiktu's bedside and knelt down, gently touching his downy silver/blue hair.  
  
Laiktu jumped in surprised and turned around. Figuring it was Kioko he raised his fist in the air only to come face to face with his mother. He lowered his hand and whispered, aware that Kioko was trying to sleep, "Mom! I thought you were Kioko. I was about to hit you!"  
  
Kaze didn't speak, but rather stared into her son's eyes, becoming lost in those aquamarine pools. It was just like she had done with Riku's eyes several times. She had gotten lost and was unable to find her way out.  
  
"What did I do know? Or are you still mad about me going to the Secret Place?" Laiktu sat up and crossed his arms. "I said I was sorry already. Do you have to keep reminding me about it?"  
  
_He sounds just like his father_. Kaze thought. She stood up and sat down beside him on the bed. "You deliberately went against my rules, so yes, I'm still mad. As for you smartass mouth, drop the attitude."  
  
Laiktu frowned and looked up at his mother, "Well jeez mom, who would've thought you cared about me. I can take care of myself, so stop worrying about me so much or do you even worry about me at all?"  
  
Kaze twitched at her son's words. Had she really gave him the impression that she didn't care about him? She lifted her arms and brought her son into a hug.  
  
The silver hair boy was taken a back by his mother's touch. He didn't know whether this was action was out of affection or if she was just getting ready to strangle him. He changed his mind quickly when Kaze rested her cheek on top of his head. He smiled and laid his head on her breast, listening to her heartbeat.  
  
"Laiktu," Kaze said as she ran her fingers through his hair, "I don't want you to ever say that again. You're my son and I do worry about you. There's not a day that goes by when I don't worry about you while you're outside playing with Kaori and the others."  
  
Tears sprang to the little boy's eyes as he heard his mother's confession. Why did he think that of her in the first place? It was stupid to think his mother didn't care about him.  
  
"And as for the other comment," Kaze pulled back to look into Laiktu's eyes, gently wiping his tears away, "you should know that I love you with all my heart, son. The only reason I worry so much is…I've already lost one person I love, and I don't want to lose another."  
  
Laiktu smiled happily and jumped up, wrapping his arms around Kaze's neck tightly. The woman smiled as she too embraced her child. His grip was so tight that Kaze thought he wouldn't let her go. Of course, this was the first time she'd really ever hugged her son.  
  
"I love you too, mom," Laiktu whispered and tightened his embrace. "I'm sorry I said that, but…"  
  
Kaze raised and eyebrow and wiggled herself free of Laiktu's grip, "But what?"  
  
"Am I still grounded?"  
  
Kaze smiled and silently laughed. He was so persistent at times it was unbelievable. She leaned forward and kissed Laiktu's forehead.  
  
"No," She stood up and walked towards the door. "Go to bed, Laiktu. It's late."  
  
Laiktu smiled and pulled the covers over his shoulders before turning back on his side and covering his eyes. With one last glance around the room, Kaze shut off the light and closed the bedroom door.  
  
-  
  
Kaze walked downstairs, feeling in better sprits than she had all day.  _What a little love can do for you_, she thought to herself as she spotted Kairi doing the dishes. She turned her head briefly around, then back to the dishes, and then swerved around again.  
  
"Why are you so happy?" she said suspiciously, catching a faint smile on Kaze's face. Kaze, who was dimly aware of showing any happiness on her face, twisted it into a scowl.  
  
"Before you get a plate jammed down your throat, you'd--"  
  
But she froze before she could finish her statement. Kairi, whose eyes were rolled midway in anticipation from another of Kaze's threats, stared at her, waiting for her to carry on.   
  
"Well?" she said, her soapy hands outstretched. "Aren't you going to tell me to fuck off, or mind my own business, or to go stuff a sock in my big mouth?"   
  
Kaze wasn't even looking her way.  Her gaze was focused to the door. Eyebrows furrowed and lips tightly pressed together she opened the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Kairi asked.  
  
"I need to go for a walk," Kaze said shortly, taking care to slam the door hard, making Kairi drop a coffee mug. It smashed into tiny pieces at her feet.  
  
"Damn her!" she cursed. "What in the hell has gotten into her?"  
  
Kaze stepped outside to have the wind greet her. It blew past her face, making her slightly shiver. It was ghostly dark; the midnight blue sky was devoid of a moon or stars. She trudged through the arid sand to the pier. She couldn't pinpoint it, but it was an unusual feeling about tonight that made her uneasy.  
  
The wind bore down on Kaze more heavily as it whipped her unrestrained hair askew. She looked down at the murky, eerily black water, elbows resting on the pier's edge. For no reason she could fathom, her mind began to drift to memories of her father. Vividly, she could hear screaming in the back of her head at the hands of her father.  
  
She shuddered as another fresh wave of the cool wind blew through. She was then reflecting on the only two things keeping her considerably sane: Kioko and Laiktu. Without them both, Kaze wouldn't have a reason to look forward to her miserable life.  Laiktu was her pride and joy, and although she sometimes concealed her true feelings for him, she held love for him that was so selfishly denied from her when she was around his age.

Suddenly, the water bubbling below Kaze snapped her from her stupor. She watched as the bubbling grew more feverish under her. The bubbling began to branch out further in the ocean. Kaze's eyes followed as the bubbling extended into the center of the sea. The bubbling increased in strength as the ring it was forming in the center expanded. 

"What the hell?" Kaze muttered to herself as the bubbling began to settle down. The wind howled loudly for a split second before a blazing purple light shone underneath the surface of the ocean. The intensity of the light elevated as something massive began to rise up from under the water. As it floated up above the surface, causing water to blast away from every direction. The massive, bubbly looking black ball rose farther into the sky, mixtures of purple, pink, and blue swirling around in the center.  
  
"Dammit," Kaze swore, and as fast as her legs could carry, dashed to the house.  
  
-  
  
"I can't believe we got off of punishment!" Kioko whispered, as her and Laiktu chattered quietly since their mothers left them tucked in.  
  
"I'm more surprised my mom hugged me," Laiktu said thoughtfully, not in a bitter sort of voice.  
  
"She loves you, Laiktu," Kioko said reassuringly. "She always has. It's just that…it's deep down there."  
  
"Down where?"  
  
"Where is the heart located again?" Kioko asked, examining her own chest. Laiktu, on the verge of saying something cutting to Kioko, couldn't find it in his own heart to do so since he was relieved that he was off punishment, and that his mother loved him more than she did insulting Kairi on a daily basis. Instead, he looked politely puzzled.  
  
"Ah well, it's down there somewhere." Kioko shifted her position from leaning on her elbow to lying on her back. "Our mothers…love us…very much…" he heard her yawn. Smiling to himself, he laid back as well. "Night Kioko."  
  
"Night…"   
  
Before Laiktu barely opened his eyes, a stinging purple light tore through the room. Forming in the center of the room was a circular, watery like bubble with four figures dressed in black emerging from it.  
  
Laiktu sat up and shielded his eyes. "What the hell is _that_?"  
  
"Grab the kid," one of them yelled harshly. Three of the figures approached Kioko's bed and snatched her up by her arms from the bed. Her eyes snapped open to find the figures yanking her away from her comfy bed.  
  
"_NO!_" she screeched, legs flailing, trying to kick them off of her.  
  
"Kioko!" Laiktu cried, leaping off of his own bed and prepared to fight for the release of Kioko.  
  
"Get the fuck off of her you crow looking mother fuckers or I'll kick your fucking asses!"  
  
They turned sharply to look at Laiktu, fury etched over his face, fists up. "Grab that boy too!" one of them cried.  One of them lunged forward and grabbed Laiktu around his waist. Laiktu scratched him over his face and tried to kick him between the legs.  
  
"I need help!" one of them called, struggling against Laiktu's fists. One of them immediately came to his aid and wrapped their arms around his legs.  
  
"Let me go, you fuckers!" he growled, punching the one that first grabbed him in the nose.  He bellowed in pain, but did not release Laiktu.  
  
"Laiktu, Laiktu, _help_!" Kioko cried.  
  
-  
  
Downstairs, Kairi had just finished polishing the last dish when she heard screaming from upstairs.  
  
"Oh my god, Kioko!" she cried, dropping the dish carelessly to the floor and bolting upstairs. Kaze burst through the kitchen door just in time to catch a fleeting glimpse of Kairi flying up the stairs. She also heard the cries of Kioko upstairs and sprinted upstairs after Kairi.  
  
Kairi pelted through the door just in time to see Kioko roughly being dragged into the purplish portal by figures dressed in black along with Laiktu who was holding up a good fight. The figures spotted her and cruelly yanked the kids along into the portal. The men holding Kioko zoomed into the portal first.

"Kioko!" Kairi shouted.  
  
"_MOMMY, HELP ME_!" Kioko cried, her tear-streaked face disappearing into the portal. Laiktu was closely behind her, two of the figures dragging him into the portal.  
  
"_LET ME…GO_!" He yelled as they managed to pull his body in up to his waist through the portal.  
  
"_NO_!" Kairi cried, rushing forward just as the figures gave a mighty tug and pulled Laiktu in all of the way. Kaze arrived just in time to see her son disappear with Kairi ambling after him.  
  
"No you fool!" Kaze yelled and she hurled forward after Kairi.  
  
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The update is especially for Christmas! So…Merry day after Christmas! Wee! I finished Chapter 4, but not alone! I can't even leave her name in the reviews corner anymore because she's my beta/ backup/coach/sister/attorney/bodyguard. Silver-hair Angel has given me more support on this story than anyone else I know. Trowa'sgal2004 has helped as well. Meilin isn't here to back me up, but she's mostly helping me with The New Edition, but all of my friend's/sister's give me support, but the most support I can get are reviews! hint hint  
  
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Reviewer's Corner:  
  
Harry: You have yet to see trouble! Wait until latter chapters!  
  
RainWarriorPrincess: I'm glad you liked Kaze. I've tried to make her as lovable as possible, but some people think it's a Mary Sue. And Silver-hair Angel knows that I do not act like Kaze! And I'm glad you like the children too. They play a major role in chapters to come. I'm not telling if they come back or not. My two best genres are _romance_ and _angst_. Pick one and try to figure out what will happen.  
  
Tiger5913: I'm glad you enjoyed this story and Something About Us. I'm glad you like the Sora/Kairi pairing, but there is nothing wrong with Sora/Riku pairing either. I don't know if I'll ever write any of it, but just to clear it up, there's nothing wrong with it. I hope you're not offended now.  
  
Linear: I'm glad you like the changes in this chapter. Thank Silver-hair Angel for that. She helped me out a bunches! I will try to portray the kids like that more often, thanks for the insight! I like for my "fans" to tell me what they think of the children and Kaze, and what should happen in the story.   
  
§§  
  
_Next Chapter:_ Kairi and Kaze fight against the dark forces to save Laiktu and Kioko and they end up in another world. Kaze's brother appears, and Kairi can't believe who it is. Stay Tuned!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	5. Fight For Freedom

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Five: Fight for Freedom  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Author's Note**: I'm having so much fun writing this! AH! Anyways, this chapter has some fighting in it, but I can't write fight scenes so don't hate me for it. I think this story sucks anyways.  
_Silver-hair Angel_: What did you say? gets out the shockers  
Uhhh…hehehe…gulp Remember to review! Hope you guys enjoy this chappie! It's one of the more dramatic/climatic ones if I do say so myself. runs away from Silver-hair Angel  
  
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"No you fool!" Kaze yelled and she hurled forward after Kairi. Kaze was too late to catch her younger friend before both of the adults vanished in the portal of darkness.  
  
Kairi landed on the other side of the portal belly first. She couldn't see hardly anything except the revolving colors of black, blue, and purple. Ahead was nothing but pitch-blackness. The screams of the two children were the only sound that reverberated through the area.  
  
"_Laiktu! Kioko! Hold on!_" Kairi screamed frantically, picking herself up off the ground. She ran in the darkness, following the sounds of the two children. She caught sight of the four figures carrying the children and picked up speed, but was slammed back onto the ground.  
  
The four hooded figures turned around as the apparent leader stood at the front of the group. Raising his hand to his midsection, he suspended Kairi in air, not enabling her to move of her own accord. The man lifted his hand higher and, as he was balling up his fist, pressure was applied on Kairi's ribs, making it harder for her to breathe. Gagging and choking sounds issued from Kairi as the pressure exerted on her became greater.  
  
"_MOM!_" Kioko screamed in agony.  
  
Laiktu squirmed with all his might but was unable to break free of his captor's hold. He couldn't help but wonder why his mother wasn't here to save him. Did she lie about her worries and love for him? He pinched his eyes closed and tried again to break free of the man's grasps, but his efforts were in vain.  
  
Kairi winced in pain as more and more pressure was applied onto her ribs. She knew that her body couldn't take much more of this torture. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on her magical abilities as hard as she could, but nothing was happening. Why weren't her powers working?!  
  
"Now," The leader sneered, "you die!"  
  
"_NO!_" Kioko wailed. She pinched her eyes closed, not wanting to see her mother's death. Laiktu still refused to give up and was fighting for his freedom, and hoping he could free his Aunt Kairi before her demise.  
  
A brilliant flash of light followed by an explosion vibrated through the air. Kioko let out an ear-piercing scream as tears fell down her face at the loss of her mother. Laiktu's eyes were wide and staring with disbelief. His aggression grew as he let his fist of fury fly, striking his captor in the head. Laiktu looked straight ahead and finally noticed that the leader was still standing up, but a gaping hole was in his stomach.  
  
"Ouch," Laiktu whispered and grimaced. "One hell of a way to die. That had to hurt."  
  
Kairi yelped and she came crashing down on the ground, coughing and gasping for air. She rolled to the side before the dead body of the leader landed on top of her. Kairi's whole body felt like a ton of bricks. It was hard for her to lift a limb. How was she going to save the children when she needed saving herself?  
  
"Who dares interfere?" Kioko's captor asked.

"I do."  
  
All eyes turned towards the right to see Kaze, her hand still extended with smoke rising off the tips of her fingers. Her face held no emotion and her eyes were as cold as ice. In her other hand, she held some sort of metal staff.  
  
"_MOM!_" Laiktu was overjoyed at seeing his mother.  
  
Kioko squealed with delight and clapped her hands. She was relieved that both her mother and Kaze were alive. Now they were going to be saved.  
  
Kaze lowered her hand and raised her staff, pointing at the dead leader, "If you three don't want to end up like your buddy over there, I suggest you drop my son and niece before this gets really ugly."   
  
Loud whispers spread amongst the darkness as the captors stared down at Kaze, who had slipped into a fighting stance.  
  
"It is the heiress!" The one who held Laiktu spoke.  
  
"We cannot fight her! She is the master's daughter. Although not as powerful as he, she is still very deadly," Kioko's captor's voice said in a shaky voice.  
  
"He would surely have our heads if we were to harm his daughter!" The other figure spoke.  
  
Laiktu's captor nodded down towards the children and stared at his comrades, "He will have more than our heads if we do not return with these two children!"  
  
"_ENOUGH!_" Another voice boomed. A dark portal appeared behind the captors as another man stepped out. He had long white hair and his no datchi was sheathed at his side. "What is taking you fools so long?"  
  
"Lord Sephiroth!" Laiktu's captor bellowed, but was unable to bow because of the squirming children. "The one on the ground behind us followed and while we were trying to exterminate her, the heiress--"  
  
"The _who?_" Sephiroth turned his head slightly to the right and smirked evilly at the sight of Kaze, who was running over to help Kairi. He turned back towards his men. "Give me the brats."  
  
The hooded figures did not hesitate in following Sephiroth's orders as they handed over the ever viscous Laiktu and the crying Kioko. The swordsman looked down at the two children and sighed. Why did his master choose him to be the babysitter?  
  
Laiktu squirmed and let his fists start flying again, "Put me the fuck down before I kick you in the mouth so damn hard your teeth get lodged in your fucking throat!"  
  
_I hate children!_ Sephiroth was getting a little agitated by the boy's threats and the girl's cries that he did the only thing he knew to do. He twisted both children's heads painfully to the side, rendering them unconscious at the moment. Heads drooping and bodies limp, Sephiroth turned to leave with Laiktu under his right arm and Kioko under his left arm.  
  
"What of the woman and the heiress, my lord?"  
  
He looked back at his men, "Exterminate them _both_. And no questions, just do it!"  
  
"_NO!_" Kairi screamed out. She tried to get up, but her body just wouldn't let her move.  
  
Kaze growled and stood up quickly. There was no way she was letting Sephiroth take Laiktu and Kioko. Grabbing her staff she slung it out ahead of her, and, with great speed, she took off running, leaped into the air, and did a crafty front flip, landing right in front of the captors while catching her staff with her right hand. She didn't miss a beat. The hooded men looked wildly around for her, but did not have her in their sights.  
  
Sephiroth turned around to leave, but froze when Kaze stood right in front of him, her staff was unwavering as she held it under his throat. The only thing Sephiroth could do was smile. These people amused him so much.  
  
"To take them, you have to go through me first," Kaze growled, her voice not in the least hesitant.   
  
Sephiroth laughed morbidly. He knew Kaze wasn't afraid. That's why he admired her so much, "You're father would be disappointed if I returned empty handed." He took a step to the side quickly, but Kaze slid to the side in front of him, blocking his escape yet again.  
  
"I'll give you to the count of five, Sephiroth, to drop my children or I'm going to blast another hole straight through your trachea," And this threat Kaze would fulfill.  
  
"Sadly," Sephiroth began, "I'm at no liberty to fight you as of yet, dear Kaze. But, I shall see you in the future that, I promise you. Until then, have fun fighting the dark army."  
  
"_What?!_" Kaze's shout echoed as Sephiroth leaped up and disappeared into a portal overhead. Kairi screamed as she tried to wriggle from underneath the dead body she was trapped beneath.  
  
Kaze's sole intention was to retrieve the children, and she readied herself to jump into the portal after Sephiroth. But before she could jump, several Shadow heartless arose from the ground, tackling her and causing her staff to slip from her grasp. She tried to break free, but more and more kept pilling on top of her.  
  
Feeling some strength regaining in her limbs, Kairi used all of the upper body strength she could muster to push the leader's dead body off of her. She sat up only to find Kaze entangled in a web of swarming heartless.  
  
"Kaze!" Kairi cried, scrambling to her feet. She had barely regained her balance when the hooded figures enclosed her into a tight circle. Kairi's hands clenched into fists as they threateningly cracked their knuckles.  
  
Kaze meanwhile was frantically trying to unglue herself from the rapidly growing numbers of the shadow heartless. "Damn you…_GET OFF ME!_" Kaze's anger had bubbled over its peek. Although no one could see, her pale blue eyes morphed slowly into an inky black as her body was surrounded by a dark aura. "Ultima!" One by one, the shadow heartless began to explode, their dust scattering everywhere.  
  
The hooded men turned around and gasped. "She knows the dark arts!" he cried.  
  
Kairi, sensing opportunity, balled up her left fist and smashed it into one of the men's jaw. _If my powers can't work, I'll use what I was born with_!  He clutched his cheek as he fell to the ground.  
  
The remaining three figures swerved around and attacked Kairi. She dodged as one of their legs came flying towards her face.  She ducked down and grabbed his leg. She threw it over her head, sending him reeling backwards. Kairi sprung up just to have one of them backhand her hard. She landed on her side with a sickening _crunch_. The three figures towered over her, ready to strike.  
  
Before Kairi could shield herself, Kaze's figure appeared right in front of her, and flew towards the hooded figures, staff raised in the air. Kairi watched as Kaze flipped backwards and delivered a forceful kick on one of the men's head. She landed in a crouching position, waiting for the others to strike. When they did not make a move, Kaze swung her staff, hitting the remaining men in the legs and knocking them backwards.

Kairi was amazed by her friend's sudden increase in speed and strength. She could also feel Kaze's magical abilities had taken a great increase as well. All she could do was sit there and watch Kaze fight. _When did she become so powerful? She's so fast I can hardly keep up with her._  
  
Kaze moved to the side quickly and used her staff as a pool stick, shoving it into one of the men's stomach. Before giving him a chance to recuperate, she swiftly whacked him across the side of his face. As he was falling to the ground Kaze jumped onto his shoulders and sprung in the air. Staff spinning above her head, she was ready to deliver another forbidden magic attack, when a body slammed into her from behind. She crashed into the ground, but quickly jumped up. Her lip was bleeding slightly.  
  
"A new breed of Heartless!" Kaze gasped as she was surrounded once again. These Heartless weren't the small shadows, but they were tall, like humans. Blue veins outlined their bodies. Kaze frowned. _I don't want to use the dark arts again. I can't afford to…_  
  
Kaze crossed her arms in front of her chest and concentrated hard. She closed her eyes as a bright red aura surrounded her body. She gripped her staff with both hands she leveled it in front of her body horizontally.  
  
"The flame consumes all…" Kaze whispered as she let loose a fury of Firaga attacks. She didn't waste another second before jumping back into action. She fought with all her strength, but the number of Heartless kept increasing.  
  
Kairi watched as Kaze was hit in the face and kicked to the side. She was worried for her friend, but knew Kaze would be okay when she heard the familiar scream of a magical spell.  
  
"Blizzaga!" Kaze's body glowed a light blue as her ice spell covered most of the area. But just as she was about to cast a thunder spell, the shadow Heartless jumped on her from all sides, pinning her down to the ground.  
  
"_KAZE_!" Kairi shouted. She picked herself up off the ground and started running towards her friend, but was thrown back again by the hooded figures.  
  
"We shall let the Heartless kill the heiress, but you…we will kill you slowly and painfully," One of the snickered.  
  
Kairi closed her eyes. _Where are they all coming from? I have to do something! Why can't I fight? Why aren't my powers working? I'm going to die here. Oh Sora, I'm so sorry. Our daughter…_  
  
"Dammit Kairi, do something! Remember what I taught you!" Kaze shouted to her friend. She was frantically trying to get the Heartless off of her again. _I can't use my powers again. It'll increase my chance of being taken over…_  
  
Kairi's fists were clinched at her sides as her knuckles turned white. Tears slid down her cheek as she was feeling powerless. She didn't want to die. She wanted to get Kioko and Laiktu back, but what could so do? Kairi stood up, anger sketched all over her face. Her eyes hardened as she did the only thing she knew to do…she screamed. A mighty scream of all her bottled up emotions: rage, fear, and love. She didn't take notice that a white light hand formed around her hand and materialized into the mightiest weapon of all.  
  
_Keyblade…  
  
Keyblade…  
  
Keyblade…_  
  
Kaze heard Kairi's scream and immediately noticed the Heartless had stopped attacking her. She stood up, looking in the direction of the Heartless, and gasped. Kairi was standing in the middle of everything, the Ultima Weapon gripped tightly in her right hand. Her head was bowed and eyes closed tightly. She wasn't even aware of her danger. The Heartless didn't bother with Kaze anymore. They were more interested in Kairi and the Keyblade…  
  
"God dammit!" Kaze swore. Kairi wasn't trained to use the Keyblade. "Why the fuck does the bad shit always happen to us?"  
  
Kaze gripped the middle of the staff tighter as it shrunk to a smaller size and disappeared. She lifted her arms over her hand and closed her eyes, concentrating hard. Her body once again was surrounded in a dark aura as she reopened her now inky black eyes, but before she could complete her spell, Kairi's head shot up and her glassy eyes popped open. Kaze blinked as her eyes returned back to normal.  
  
"What the--?" Kaze whispered.  
  
Kairi gaped at her surroundings. Realizing that she was under the Keyblade's control, she let its power manipulate her as she spread her legs apart, and thrust the Ultima Weapon in the air, gripping it with both hands. A brilliant light surrounded her body.  
  
"Purest Light! Shine forth!"  
  
Kaze held up her hand to block the immense force of the light. She heard the screams of the Heartless and the hooded men as they were all destroyed, disappearing in the light. Once the power died down, Kaze moved her arm and stared at Kairi, who was still holding the Ultima Weapon high in the air.  
  
"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," Kaze whispered. She couldn't believe Kairi did that. The girl had shown great potential when they trained, but never _this_. She took off in a light jog towards Kairi, but broke out into a full out run when Kairi passed out, her body drooping as it hit the floor. "Damn it, Kairi!" she swore as she approached Kairi. Just then, the ground began to rumble, nearly knocking Kaze off of her feet. "Son of a bitch!" she cursed loudly. She dove towards Kairi as the rumbling increased violently.  
  
"Wake up! We have to get out of here!" Kaze said and shook Kairi's shoulders. Kairi's eyes remained close as Kaze shook her hard once more. Kaze looked over Kairi's head to see the floor of the strange vortex they were in was shattering like thousands of mirrors, closing in on Kaze and Kairi, who was still out like a light.  
  
"I'm going to kill you for this you bastard!" she cried, shaking her fist in the air as the floor beneath them crumbled. Kaze lost her grip on Kairi and let out a roar as she was going under, Kairi's lifeless body sharply falling with her.  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note**: Oh my God, you guys, I'm so terribly sorry! The chapter was getting so long; I had to cut short! I know I promised to bring in Kaze's brother, but, from where it stood, the original chapter five would've been like fifteen pages! EEK! I'm so sorry! But the next chapter _will_ pick up where this one left off, I promise!!   
  
§§  
  
Reviewer's Corner  
  
Harry: They worked together…sort of, right? Don't worry; Kaze and Kairi do team up with other valuable allies and save Laiktu and Kioko, not to mention Sora and Riku. Well…I don't know if I'd call it saving or not. 'Sacrificing' is more of the word I'm looking for.  
  
Linear: Yes, it was a shocker for me to write that too. Kaze showing emotions towards anyone is hardly rare. Wait till you see how she acts towards her brother and father. Hehehe…you thought she was cruel to Riku and Kairi, you should see how she acts towards them. Laiktu does have a mouth on him, but who do you think he gets it from? Riku or Kaze? I'd say both.   
  
Tiger5913: I'm so happy you weren't offended! glomp Overreacting can be a bad thing sometimes! I was afraid you _would've_ been offended by my comment. You don't have to apologize; it's okay, really. The story will most likely stay Sora/Kairi, just a little hint of Riku/Sora, if that's okay.  
  
§§  
  
_Next Chapter:_ Laiktu and Kioko get to see the face of their captor…and the voice from the secret place. Meanwhile, Leon and the others are doing a check on the Dark Depths when something strange happens to the portal. Stay tuned!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	6. The Big, Happy Family Reunion Part 1

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Six: The Big, Happy Family Reunion Part 1  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Author's Note:** Hehehe…told you guys I'd pick up where I left off. The other characters from Kingdom Hearts show up…and our favorite enemy…dun dun dun…hehehe. I'm not spoiling anything for you guys. You'll just have to read and find out. As Silver-hair Angel tells me, "Do I have to get out the shockers?" …I didn't think so.  
  
¤-¤  
  
-  
  
"Ugh…where…where am I?" Laiktu grumbled as he began to stir, clutching his head. It was pounding madly, making Laiktu's efforts to sit up painful. Half blinded by pain, he managed to get a glimpse of Kioko's body sprawled out on the floor of what appeared to be a jail cell.  
  
"Mm…Kioko," he called weakly. When he called her name a few more times and she still did not wake, he crawled to her body, hissing because of the pain in his head, and shook her with his free hand.  
  
"Get up, get up, get up!" he moaned, his head throbbing worse. She finally awoke, her eyes fluttering open slowly at first, then widening as she saw Laiktu in front of her.  
  
"L-Laiktu?" she whispered, sitting up.  
  
"Who do you think, dumbass?" he grumbled, his headache not receding in the slightest. She was too horrified to retort; with wide eyes she look around at their new environment.  
  
"Where are we?" she said, alarm in her voice. She looked around their prison. From the dull gray cell bars, to the bubbling mass of blackness that surrounded the cell. It swirled around their cell, having an almost menacing quality to it. When Kioko bravely stuck a hand out of the bars, she drew it back, her arm covered in the foul, black substance. She let out a shriek and crawled back over to Laiktu.  
  
"I don't like this place, Laiktu!" she whined.  
  
"No shit," Laiktu said. He was trying hard to keep his eyelids shut so that the pain in his head would soon disappear.  
  
"What are we going to do, what are we going to do?" Kioko repeated over and over, her breathing becoming erratic. After her twentieth time of repeating the same line, Laiktu gave her a light yet stinging slap to her cheek. Kioko stopped ranting right away and began to cry.  
  
"We've got to get out of here, Kioko!" Laiktu yelled over her wails. "I'm not afraid of any mother fuckers here! I'm _going_ to get out, and if you don't stop crying, I'll give you something to cry about!"  
  
Kioko sniffled a little bit, and then stopped, occasionally whimpering.  
  
"Now to get out of here," Laiktu said as the searing pain in his head slightly dissipating. He crawled to the entry of the cell and pulled on the bars.  
  
"Laiktu, you can't pull those big old bars down by your little old self!" Kioko pointed out, followed by a growl from Laiktu.

"Then I'll do what I know how…" He threw back his head, opened his mouth, and let out a booming yell. Kioko clamped her hands over her ears, letting out her own piercing scream. Their screams blended with the other to emit a truly ear splitting scream. Laiktu tried to scream as long as possible, but he was finding it increasingly hard to breathe. He was growing magenta in the face. Kioko was struggling also, hot tears sliding down her face and her voice cracking slightly.  
  
Just as the both of them were about to faint from their efforts, the sound of a door shutting silenced him.  
  
Kioko immediately let out a hacking cough, putting her hands to her throat. Laiktu positioned himself in front of the entrance, ready to kick whatever was about to open their cell and make a run from it. Sure enough, when the door opened, Laiktu swung out a foot. However, his foot was intercepted and lifted up chest high to the person whose face he could not see. He was being dangled on one leg a good few feet off of the ground. Growling, he lifted his head up some, the pain in his head returning in full force.  
  
"Let me go you asshole! Get the fuck off of me before I claw your fucking eyes out!" he snarled, trying to wriggle himself free of his captor. Kioko finally lifted her head to see Laiktu held up by his foot by a man whose face was in shadows.  
  
"Laiktu!" Kioko wailed, itching to get closer but was deterred from doing so out of sheer fear.   
  
"My, my...such a fowl mouth you have," the man said, clicking his tongue in disapproval.  
  
Kioko froze. She swore she heard that voice before. Laiktu also stopped in the middle of trying to scratch the man in the chest. Where was that voice so familiar from?

"Who are you?!" Laiktu shouted, his efforts to free himself abandoned.

"I think you have a good guess," the man said teasingly. "Yes… I remember you rambunctious rascals from earlier before…"

Kioko gave a small gasp. "Laiktu, the secret cave!"  
  
"Can't be," Laiktu said at once. "How come we didn't see the mother fucker then?"  
  
"There goes your mouth," the voice said, bobbing Laiktu up and down a little. Laiktu cried out; he felt like his head would rip in half.  
  
 "I do hope your mother teaches you manners when you are at home, but I doubt she even realizes she has a son sometimes," the voice said nastily.  
  
Laiktu paled at first, and then raged.  "You mother fucker, I'm going to beat your fucking head in so bad, it's going to take pliers to pick out your fucking brain!"  
  
"Laiktu, don't make him any madder!" Kioko moaned as the man shook Laiktu harder.  
  
"S-S-S-Stop it!" Laiktu yelled out, clutching his head. He looked on the verge of throwing up. The man finally ceased shaking Laiktu.  
  
"Yes little ones… I was the one from the cave," he said silkily. "But sadly that time you weren't so gullible as to follow a bodiless voice into a cave, now were you?"  
  
Kioko was too horrified to speak; Laiktu was more concerned with the building pain in his head to absorb the man's insults.  
  
"So I had to take you by force. If I'm not mistaken, I'm sure your mothers aren't _that_ heartless as to leave you here, as you are about to die…no, they will come running, and then…my plan will initiate."  
  
"What plan?" Kioko said, trembling.  
  
"You shall see," he said, his chilly edge in his voice making Kioko shake badly.  
  
"If you are so bold, asshole," Laiktu said, his temper flaring up along with his headache, "step into the light! Come on, step into the light, Mary Ann, and show us whose ass I'm going to kick!"  
  
"Certainly," he said, dropping Laiktu roughly to the ground. Laiktu was spared any more pain to his head as he landed on his hands.  
  
The man moved back as a faint light washed over his head. From his glistening amber orange eyes, to his snowy white hair, he was indeed the picture of evil. He chuckled maddeningly as Kioko broke into tears. Laiktu glared at the man, then charged for him.  
  
The man stuck out a hand to the boy's forehead, preventing Laiktu from having any contact.  
  
"I'm going to beat your ass up badly!" Laiktu roared as he tried even harder to punch the man with his fists. With one little shove, Laiktu was sent tumbling backwards. He still remained on his feet, but wobbled slightly.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Laiktu burst out. "Who are you?!"

The man smiled, revealing gleaming white teeth.  "Ansem… that's all you need to know."  
  
-  
  
"I've got a weird feeling something bad is about to happen," The young man spoke as he moved his silky, shoulder length brown hair out of his eyes, tips of his fingers lightly brushing the scar on his face. "I've got an…unusually bad feeling. Like something really fucked up is about to happen."  
  
The man standing across from him sighed and looked at his friend through his locks of spiky golden hair. His glowing blue eyes shown with intense emotion as he spoke, mouth slightly covered by the neck of his red shirt, "What isn't fucked up in this hellhole?" His voice held no humor.  
  
Leon stopped looking through the many books on the shelf to turn to his companion, "You know what I mean. It's just a bad vibe is all…like how it felt when Kingdom Hearts happened." He turned away and started walking up the steps, and into one of the many lift shops.  
  
Cloud snapped out of his stupor and caught up with Leon. His face held an unreadable expression. It was somewhat mixed between confusion and disbelief, "For God's sake, Leon, we're living in the hellhole that started it all! Of course you'll be feeling some 'bad vibes'."  
  
Crossing his arms over his chest, Leon turned so his back was facing the wall, "Cloud, if I didn't respect you so much, I'd knock the living shit out of you."  
  
Before Cloud could make a smartass comeback, a rather young and excitable voice sounded in the area. Leon, who had to look over Cloud's shoulder, and Cloud turned around to see Yuffie running out of the door they just exited. The blonde rolled his eyes and walked past Leon, out of the lift shop, heading for another lift shop that would take him to the Grand Hall. Leon nodded at Yuffie, his own special way of saying "hello", and turned to follow Cloud, Yuffie tagging along after him.  
  
Yuffie lightly jogged to catch up with Leon and nudged him in the side, "What's his problem?" She asked, nodding towards Cloud.  
  
Leon shrugged, "Who knows. He's _always_ like this, remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah! I completely forgot!" Forgetfulness wasn't out of the norm for Yuffie. Leon had never met such a person who could forget to breathe if it didn't come naturally.

She stepped in front of Leon, walking backwards as he was walking forwards. "Where ya goin'?"  
  
Leon had the sudden urge to scream. _Why is she being so annoying?_ He looked past her, "To the Grand Hall." He had the urge to ask her was it any of her business and shove her aside, but truthfully, he didn't want to hurt her feelings. "Look out."  
  
Yuffie raised an eyebrow, but before she could speak, she slammed into the far wall of the lift shop and fell. Leon shook his head and walked past her, trying to catch up with Cloud. Yuffie frowned and rubbed her backside.  
  
_Why does he always have to be so cold? Damn him…_The young ninja got up off the ground and ran through the Castle Chapel, through another lift shop, and into the Grand Hall, where she saw Leon and Cloud climbing the stairs up to the Dark Depths. She shuddered. She hated going here. It always brought back so many bad memories.  
  
Aerith smiled as she stood, monitoring the controls, and waved to her three friends, "What brings you three here?"  
  
Cloud smiled, a_ genuine_ one at that, and kissed his lover gently on the lips, "Same thing as you are. Came to make sure nothing unusual was going on. Mister Obvious pointed out that he had some 'bad vibes'."  
  
The Ancient smiled up at Leon, who was frowning, "To be completely honest, so did I. That is why I came here. I just feel like something…strange is about to happen."  
  
Yuffie finally made it up to the group, "Considering that we're standing in front of the last keyhole, I'd--"  
  
Beeping noises cut Yuffie off. Aerith turned around as the numbers of the controls started flashing, bars going up and down. She quickly turned one of the dials, trying to re-stabilize the portal. She punched in numbers while frantically thinking of a way to fix the problem. Leon and Cloud looked at the Dark Depths, the swirling colors of red, blue, yellow, green, and black all moved towards the center, forming a purplish looking bubble.  
  
"What's going on?" Yuffie shouted. A slight tremor shook the ground and she had to fight to keep her balance.  
  
"I don't know!" Aerith replied, still turning dials and punching in numbers. She scanned over the flashing numbers, trying to decipher the code. "It says something's coming out!"  
  
It didn't take their minds a minute to register before Yuffie dug out her shuriken from her pouch, Cloud pulled out his buster sword, and Leon readied his gunblade. Just as Aerith turned around, a white light engulfed the room, causing everyone to shield his or her eyes. As the light dimmed, Cloud moved his forearm away from his eyes to see something shoot out of the Dark Depths, and, literally, bounce off of the glowing blue window, like a ball of rubber, causing it to shatter into thousands of pieces.  
  
Cloud was rewarded his full vision back just in time to see the _body_ falling to the floor. He leapt down the stairs, followed by Leon, to see the girl on the floor, hair spewed out along the carpet. Yuffie shouted in panic and followed the two men down the stairs. Aerith stood, not moving a muscle. She was still in shock.  
  
Cloud turned around and looked up at Aerith, worry etched all over his face, "Go and get a stretcher! Hurry!"  
  
Aerith snapped out of her stupor and, within seconds, was heading out of the Grand Hall and through the lift shop to the Med Ward.  
  
Leon knelt down next to the girl and checked for any signs of life. He sighed in relief, "She has a pulse. Not very strong though." He placed his hands on the girl's shoulders, intent on rolling the girl over on her back, but when he did, Yuffie screamed.  
  
"_Oh my God!_" The young ninja exclaimed as she knelt down beside Leon, almost pushing him over. "It's…it's…_Kairi_!"  
  
-  
  
"Why the fuck did it have to be this place?" Kaze whispered to herself as she walked around in the Base Level of Hollow Bastion. She had been separated from Kairi during the fall, after the fight with the dark forces. After Sephiroth had taken the children…  
  
The young woman clinched her fists tightly, having the urge to scream, "I'm going to kill that pompous bastard…_both_ of them. Sephiroth had no god damn right to take Laiktu…and neither did he…" She turned around and punched the wall, vividly imagining it as the face of Sephiroth and her father. She snorted and turned away from the wall, her braid flying into it and swaying in the wind as she walked towards the lift shop.  
  
"Now, I've got to get out of here. Which one was it?" Kaze pressed her hand down on the crystal and was teleported above the Base level. She was now standing at the Castle Gates, eyes wandering the vicinity. Kaze took in a deep breath. It felt somewhat good to be home. She closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to find Kairi's KI. After a moment's time of concentration, she picked up on Kairi's KI, though it was oddly faint.  
  
"Well, I might as well find her or we'll be short two kids and a mom now," Kaze's eyes shot open. She scowled. "Oh great…this is so not my fucking day." Without another word, Kaze raised her hand as a portal appeared in front of her. Stepping through, she started to wonder what it would be like meeting up with her brother again after seventeen long years.  
  
-  
  
"Well Mr. Charismatic, you give me your take on this."  
  
Cloud furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought. He bit down on his lower lip, "I… have nothing to say."  
  
"Well, is she gonna be okay? I mean, she isn't going to _die_, is she?" Yuffie asked, her frantic behavior agitating both Cloud and Leon.  
  
"If you don't want me to sow your mouth shut, I suggest you close it!" Cloud snapped, glaring at Yuffie. With a hurt look on her face, she ceased talking and focused her attention to the ground.  
  
"Now," Cloud said, breathing hard out of his nose, "I'm sure there is a perfectly rational explanation for this. However…odd it may seem."  
  
"I told you," Leon said cockily. "I told that I felt something fucked up was going on, but who else is there to doubt me than you, Mr. Chocobo?"  
  
"You keep talking, Leon, and my Chocobo is going to tear a new hole through your ass."  
  
"There is always time to display your macho nonsense to the ladies later, Cloud, but I think that Kairi nearly dying is more important. So, I pass the throne to you," Leon said with an ironic bow towards Cloud. "How did she get here?"  
  
Before Cloud can utter a single threat or swear, a clear, feminine voice behind him spoke, startling the three. Cloud was prepared to slice the person with his buster sword when he spotted who it was.  
  
A bunch of goons who work for my father, no doubt, and the Heartless attacked Destiny's Island again and we were transported here…unfortunately."  
  
Cloud goggled at her. She simply looked at him.  
  
"Kaze…"  
  
"Hello Cloud," she said, unfriendly, brushing past him. "So this is where she ended up, is it?"  
  
Leon and Yuffie stared at the intruding Kaze, flabbergasted as to how this complete stranger barged though here in the first place. Without acquainting herself to them, she crouched down to study Kairi, and then glanced up at the pair.  
  
"Well, she will live, won't she?"  
  
Leon stared fixedly at her, disdain more than curiosity on his face.  
  
"She will… but might I ask who in the hell are you?"  
  
Kaze stiffened up. She wasn't concerned with who he was as she was concerned with who in the hell does he think he is talking to her in such a manner. She stood up, her height level to Leon.  
  
"If that was supposed to be a greeting, I seriously feel sorry for whoever raised you," she said coolly, but with an edge to her voice. Leon raised an eyebrow. The stranger had quite a mouth on her. "And if you must know, I'm Kaze. Now, who in the hell are you?"  
  
Before Leon could retort, Yuffie slid in front of him, "Whoa, whoa, whoa… how in the heck do you know Cloud and we don't even know you?"

They both looked at Cloud. He smiled sourly, "How could I forget my own sister?"  
  
Yuffie's jaw dropped dramatically. Leon looked unfazed, but had a look that suggested he thought this couldn't be true at all.  
  
"It's only by blood, Cloud, and I prefer for you not to call me your sister when you treat me lower than the scum off of your shoes," Kaze said without looking at Cloud.  
  
Yuffie blew a small whistle. Leon smirked slightly. Cloud, however, did not take Kaze's words to heart. In fact, he smiled.  
  
"Well, considering that the scum doesn't talk and act like a stick's been shoved up their posterior, naturally I would favor it." His smiled widened having the satisfaction of insulting Kaze.  
  
Kaze's face reddened, but did not bite back.  
  
"Oh yeah, they sound like they are related," Yuffie said, rolling her eyes. Leon said nothing.  
  
"Help is here," Aerith called behind Cloud, carrying a stretcher that equaled the size of Kairi. She slipped past Cloud and strolled up to Kairi's side. Leon bent down and lifted Kairi with ease onto the stretcher.  
  
Aerith sighed and turned around to look at Kaze. Unlike Leon, she had a warm smile on her face when she spotted Kaze.  
  
"Hello, I'm Aerith," she said, sticking out her hand. Kaze resolutely shook her hand. "Welcome to Hollow Bastion," she continued. "This may seem like a dark, dank place, but--"  
  
"Spare her the introduction, she grew up here for fuck's sake," Cloud cut in sharply. Aerith soundlessly closed her mouth, taken aback by Cloud's sudden rudeness.  
  
After an awkward pause, Aerith allowed herself to speak.  "Well…um…then welcome anyway.  I don't believe I know you, uh…"  
  
"Kaze."  
  
"Right!  Kaze it is.  Well…we must help Kairi, so if you shall excuse me…"  
  
"We'll help also," Leon said.  
  
"Thank you Leon," she said, nodding.  
  
"Isn't that right Yuffie?" he said, gesturing to the girl.  
  
"What? But I thought we were going to--"  
  
"Come on!" he barked, yanking her along as Aerith steered the stretcher away from Kaze and Cloud. She glanced back at Cloud, tossed him an incensed look with her beautiful emerald eyes, turned her head swiftly and strolled out of sight.  
  
Once Kaze saw the three disappear out of sight, she proceeded to the Grand Hall.  
  
"Well, at least Kairi will be okay."  
  
She froze when Cloud firmly grabbed her wrist and swung her around. Already upset by his last comment, she slapped his hand away.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked sternly. She gave him a burning look.  
  
"If you must know, to find my son. And if you want to keep your five fingers intact, _Cloud_, don't you ever fucking touch me again."  
  
Raising her hand, she conjured up a small portal.  It swirled slowly a few feet from the ground, waiting patiently for the one who summoned it to enter.  
  
"I never quite got used to it," he said reminiscently. Kaze gaped at him, her eyebrows knitted.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" she said, her voice softer than it had been a while ago. He stared at her, a searching look on his face.  
  
"You…can be so much like him…" She clenched her fists.  
  
"I'm nothing like him, Cloud," she said, her voice returning to its cold, edgy manner. "If I have to beat that into you as a reminder, so be it." She turned on her heels and vanished inside the portal. It revolved rapidly as she disappeared into it then dissolved seconds later. Cloud turned around, staring at the ground.  
  
"Oh but you are… but you are…" A tear forming in the corner of his eye fell and splashed onto the ground. Scoffing, he grounded the tear into the ground and stalked off.  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note**: I told you guys I would bring him in! What do you guys think about this one, huh? I bet you didn't see that one comin'? Did ya, huh? Did ya? Did ya? This was one of the more climactic chapters, if I do say so myself. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, because I can't wait to post the next one! Have a Happy New Year! Here comes 2004!  
  
§§  
  
Harry: There's more action to come! Believe me!  
  
Linear: Yes, I know I suck at fight scenes, I warned everyone about that! feels bad Yeah, Sephiroth is a hottie; I'll admit that!  I'm glad I brightened your day!  
  
lighthope: Kairi did kick butt, didn't she? Why don't you like Kaze? She's cool, man. I'm glad that you like Kairi using the Ultima Weapon! That was one of my favorite parts!  
  
Dimitri Plabato/Drake Dragon: WOO! Kaze is getting to be pretty popular, ne? I'm glad you liked her! And I'm sure she does too! (Technically speaking, that is). Oh, Riku and Sora are just around the corner!  
  
RainWarriorPrincess: It's okay. I know how it feels to be away. lol. Thanks! I'm not awesome; I suck. I guess I just…know how to write well, I don't know. At least that's what Silver-hair Angel tells me. Hehe. Yeah, I was hoping the Kaze/Laiktu scene wouldn't be too OOC, if you know what I mean. It was hard to write and keep Kaze…well…Kaze. Yes, Sephiroth is one of the main characters in this. He plays a _big_ role. I'm thinking on the whole Riku/Sora thing. I may put a little hint in there, but I'm not gonna let Silver-hair Angel see it till it's posted. Tee hee. She'll strangle me for that. And, like I said to Dimitri, I'm glad Kaze is getting to be popular! It took me a _long_ time to make up her character and what she would be like.  
  
Kintora: …yaoi isn't wrong, just so you know. I'm not sure if I'm going to put it in there or not, I'm seriously thinking on how I could. lol.  As you can see, Laiktu and Kioko are just fine…I guess. If you count being kidnapped by a mad man. lol.   
  
§§  
  
_Next Chapter_: Ansem gives the children a surprise visit from two unexpected visitors. Meanwhile, Sephiroth goes to taunt Kaze, and it ends up in an all out war, Cloud even joining in on the fun. Stay tuned!!!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	7. The Big, Happy Family Reunion Part 2

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Seven: The Big, Happy Family Reunion Part 2  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Author's Note:** Another mini fight scene in this one, you guys! Remember, I suck at fight scenes! Also, this chapter will give a more…in depth look at Kaze's power. And you guys _will_ find out the reason Cloud shed his one tear.   
  
¤-¤  
  
"Alright then, _Ansem_, when are we going to get out of here?" Laiktu crossed his arms and glared angrily at the man towering over him.  
  
When the man chuckled evilly again, Kioko's wails filled the room. Hot tears trailed down her cheeks, leaving red streaks to follow. Ansem smiled, somewhat lovingly, and walked over to Kioko, placing his hand on top of her head.  
  
"It is okay, young one," Ansem said, trying to soothe Kioko's tears. "I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
Laiktu scowled at him. Was the bastard ignoring him? "_HEY_! I'm talking to you! Are you listening to me?!"  
  
"Do you mean it?" Kioko sniffled and whipped her tears away with her sleeve.  
  
"As long as you two do as I say, no harm will come to you," His voice was betraying, and Laiktu didn't trust it one bit. Kioko, being more gullible, smiled and wiped a few glistening tears from her face.  
  
Laiktu stomped his foot and cleared his throat loudly, "I don't trust a fucking word you say! How can we be sure you won't hurt us? When are we getting out of this place? Why are you ignoring me, you bastard! Answer my fucking questions or I'm going to shove my foot up your ass!"  
  
Ansem continued to ignore the ranting Laiktu as he stood upright and reached out his hand for Kioko to take. Hesitantly, she clasped her hand in his. In what he thought was a reassuring smile when it was more of a grimace, he led her to the entrance of the cell just as the cell door flew open. Laiktu turned around, ready to hit whoever was coming through that door, but froze when he saw the familiar white hair and the twenty foot long no datchi. This was the man that had taken them from the hooded people.  
  
"Lord Sephiroth!" Ansem said, rather in a scary cheerful tone. "What brings you here?"  
  
Sephiroth bowed to Ansem out of respect and looked him in the eye, ignoring the boy to his left making the funny faces, "_They_ tried to escape again. The guards caught them on the southern waterway entrance."  
  
Smiling morbidly, Ansem released Kioko's hand and patted her head. He turned to Laiktu, who was still making faces at Sephiroth, "Just the gentleman I wanted to see. This is perfect. Take the two children to the sitting area. I will return with the two…boys shortly."  
  
The soldier nodded his head just as Ansem walked out of the cell. Dear God, not this again. Why was he left to handle these two children? The girl cried too much and the boy was just so…annoying! He scowled.  
  
"What?" Laiktu asked as he crossed his arms. "Got something to say? Then say it!"  
  
Sephiroth hissed. "Keep trying my patience little one, and I'll cut you down to a shorter size," he said, indicating his no datchi.  
  
"I wish you would, mother fucker!" Laiktu bit back. Sephiroth was being tempted to harm the boy by any means necessary, but resisted as best as he could.  
  
_He will be mine later_, he thought, a warped smile on his face.  
  
"Follow me," he said shortly. Kioko was a bit more reluctant to follow Sephiroth than she was Ansem. Adding to the fact that Sephiroth had about as much charm as the size of a flea, and that every time he looked at the kids his face would appear as though he ate something sour, it was understandable for Kioko to step a few feet back. She looked to Laiktu who stood a few feet from her, arms folded across his chest, defiance spread over his face.  
  
"Maybe I didn't make myself clear," he said, his teeth clenched. "_Follow me_." Sephiroth was longingly fingering his long sword, imagining that he was scalping Laiktu's skin from his face.  
  
"And if I don't?" Laiktu asked smartly. Sephiroth roared and pulled out his no datchi, placing it to Laiktu's throat.  
  
"If you want me to pull your spine out through your Adam's apple and jump rope with it, then you, you pathetic little runt and weeping willow over there will do as I say and _follow me_! Do I make myself perfectly clear?"  
  
Laiktu gulped and nodded. He gave a sharp look to Kioko who looked on the verge of tears yet again. She nodded so hard it was likely her head would pop off and roll on the floor. 

Sephiroth placed his weapon safely back into his belt and ushered the children out of the dimly lit dungeon. He escorted them out of the door into a brightly lit, yellow bathed hallway.

Laiktu shielded his eyes from the stingingly bright light.

"Can someone turn down the lights in this fucking place?"   
  
"If you would enjoy being used as a baseball bat to put out the lights, be my guest," Sephiroth said sardonically. Sneering at Laiktu, he turned his back and walked on.  
  
Laiktu stuck his tongue at him from behind his back. With a little nudge from Kioko they trekked on, making sure to follow Sephiroth at a distance.  
  
The hallway seemed to stretch on before they finally reached a brass door. Sephiroth tugged on the seemingly heavy door, pulling it open. He opened it wide enough to squeeze through, not bothering to hold the door open for the kids. Being their size, they slipped through without difficulty.  
  
They were in what appeared to be a dinning hall. The room was less bright than had the hallway they just exited, which was only an improvement at least. Laiktu, unlike Kioko who was just glad to be out of the dark depths of the dungeon, was puzzled as to why they were brought here.  
  
"What are we doing here?" Laiktu threw out to Sephiroth. Sephiroth closed his eyes to the boy's question.  
  
"Hello? Guy with the dragon wing on his back! Where the hell are we?" Laiktu continued, hoping to aggravate Sephiroth long enough to get a response.  
  
Finally giving in, Sephiroth swerved around and gave Laiktu a withering look. Laiktu clamored down.  
  
"This is the dinning room, in case the long table with the silverware on top of it didn't tip you off. Master has asked me to give you little monsters something to eat, though it is not too late to force feed you poison. Anymore questions?"  
  
Instead of shaking his head no like his younger, easily frightened sister, Laiktu crossed his arms and said, "Can I have fries with my order?"  
  
"You'll have more than that if you keep pest--" The soldier stopped in mid sentence and looked up. The corners of her mouth curved upward as he felt _her_. His little play toy was wandering around looking for her child. She was stupid to use her dark powers and not realize she could be traced. _Foolish girl_, he thought. He was going to have some fun.  
  
"Uhh…" Laiktu said, uncrossing his arms and pointing up, "Are you going to finish what you said or stare at the ceiling like someone struck your ass with lightning?"  
  
_That kid is getting on my last damn nerve! _Sephiroth turned around to the two children and pointed at the table, "Sit down at the table, and don't move. If you do, I'll kill _both_ of you. Got it?"  
  
"I don't think you have the guts to ki--" Laiktu closed his mouth immediately as the cool tip of Sephiroth's no datchi touched his throat. The platinum haired boy gulped.  
  
Kioko's sapphire eyes widened as she believed the man was going to kill her brother. Feeling some sort of strength in her body, she grabbed Laiktu's forearm and pulled him next to her body, wrapping her arms around him protectively.  
  
"Don't you touch him you psycho maniac!" She growled. It was a rare occasion to see Kioko angry. Sephiroth glared at her, but did not react to her sudden boldness.  
  
"Have it your way," He scoffed, "but heed my warning." And with that, he disappeared in a flash.  
  
Kioko and Laiktu both breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
-  
  
Kaze was not only ticked off, but she had no idea where to carry on next. Adding to her frustration, her partner was knocked out cold, and she was forced to have contact with her brother from hell. Groaning, she slumped down next to the lift stop, underneath the Grand Hall. She buried her head into her knees.  
  
"There's no fucking place to go…"  
  
"My thoughts exactly."  
  
Snapping her head up, she saw Sephiroth in her view, cruel satisfaction smeared over his face. Kaze leaped up, rearing to attack.  
  
"I want my fucking kid, Sephiroth, or I'll slice your head off," she thundered as her KI rose dangerously. Sephiroth uttered a low chuckle.  
  
"Silly girl. That is how I found you in the first place. You'd think that you would at least attempt to disguise it. But sadly, you were too dense to do so. Besides, it's not hard to sense your KI; it's as foul and rancid as you are."  
  
Kaze growled as her body was illuminated an inky black aura. Sephiroth unsheathed his no datchi.  
  
"You may have the dark arts on your side girl, but you won't beat me."  
  
With a cry, Kaze leaped forward, missing as she tried to land a right punch onto Sephiroth's jaw. He vanished seconds before she could reach him. Reappearing behind her, he delivered a good kick in the small of her back, sending her face forward into the ground.  
  
"You must move quicker than that to have an inkling of beating me," he jeered, as he pointed his no datchi directly at Kaze's head. At the last second, Kaze rolled around on her back, as Sephiroth's no datchi splintered the patch of ground she laid on seconds ago.  
  
"I will win," Kaze said determinedly as she leaped to her feet and charged for Sephiroth again.  
  
-  
  
"Not only were you rude to me, Cloud, but you were completely horrible to your own sister!"  
  
"I told you before, our relation is by blood only."  
  
"Regardless, that is not how you treat someone, kin or not!"  
  
"I treat everyone else like that and have yet to hear of a complaint."  
  
"Honestly, do you ever act your age?"  
  
"Do you ever stop nagging?"  
  
Aerith howled in exasperation at Cloud's insensitiveness. She had an urge to slap him, suppressed the feeling. Pacing back and forth a bit, she waited until she gathered her words.  
  
"Cloud," she said as sweetly as she could in her irritation, "I know that you two have had… _differences_ or what have you, but was it right to insult and scorn her?"  
  
"You don't understand," he muttered.  
  
"Because you never talk to me!" Aerith roared, making all in the small medical lab jump. "How am I supposed to know you, Cloud, when you shroud yourself in this big blanket of mystique!"  
  
"It's my life and I'm entitled to not publicly share my affairs," he said sourly. Aerith momentarily looked appalled at Cloud's bitterness. Furious and losing all of her self-control, Aerith delivered a stinging slap to Cloud's cheek. Cloud showed no significance to it; he stood there as if made of stone.  
  
"Go on and cope with your problems, then!  Just to make it easier on us, remove yourself from existence period!" She stormed out, leaving an aghast Yuffie, a politely shocked Leon, and a callous looking Cloud.  He did not mind at all the burning that Aerith's palm imprinted on his cheek.  
  
Yuffie blew a long whistle, trying and failing to look like Aerith slapping people occurred on a regular basis. Leon attended back to Kairi as if nothing happened in the first place. Cloud stood there, staring blankly at the two.  
  
"You gonna be okay, Cloud?" Yuffie asked, gawking at him as he stood still.  
  
"Yuffie, if you want me to _accidentally_ shove this flashlight up your eye, pay attention," Leon said. "He'll be okay."  
  
Yuffie shrugged and focused her attention now on Kairi. Cloud stood there oddly for a while when he felt something sharply strong in the vicinity. Without a word, Cloud bolted through the door. Yuffie, being so easily distracted, followed him out of the door.  
  
"Where's he going?" Yuffie asked, squinting to see in the distance.  
  
"Obviously, he made up his mind about how he was going to kill Aerith," Leon said, still examining Kairi. Catching the horrified look on Yuffie's face, Leon assured her that it was a joke and that they still need to help Kairi.  
  
-  
  
Kaze's body crashed into the wall, causing it to crack underneath the weight of sheer force of Sephiroth's punch. The young woman didn't have time to recover before the ex-SOLDIER appeared in front of her, beating her mercifully. Kaze quickly regained some of her senses as she grabbed Sephiroth's right wrist and delivered a hard punch to his jaw. He was unfazed, though, and countered with a kick to Kaze's torso, causing the wall to finally give away. With one last punch, Kaze was sent flying out of the room and outside.  
  
"You are pitiful, Kaze. You have grown soft over the peaceful years and your skills have diminished. What would your father say if he saw you now?" Sephiroth stepped out into the light, staring at the woman lying on the ground ten feet front him.  
  
"Simple," Kaze whispered. She rolled over on her side and coughed up a little blood. Her palms face down on the ground, she hoisted herself up to stand on shaky legs. Ice blue eyes hardened as she wiped the blood from the corners or her mouth. She smirked and clinched her fists, "He would tell me to stop fucking around and kick your sorry, egotistical, silver headed ass!"  
  
"Big words from such a little girl. You know, your son has the same problem. He doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."  
  
"You…will hold your tongue, or it will be cut off," Kaze said through gritted teeth. She unclenched her right fist, palm facing the ground. Her wrist popped to the right quickly as a small object shot out quickly from her sleeve. Her fingers tightened around the object as it grew in length. When it stopped, Kaze twirled her staff and slipped into a fighting stance. Her eyes narrowed and attention focused solely on Sephiroth.  
  
Sephiroth yawned and held out his no datchi in front of him, smiling morbidly at Kaze, "Your stupid parlor tricks don't scare me, girl."  
  
"I'll make you eat your words, asshole," The white headed said loudly.   
  
"Tell me, Kaze. Do you think your precious son will start screaming when I tear the flesh off his body piece by piece?" Kaze closed her eyes and tried to block out the images running through her head. "But don't worry, I will save you a sliver." With that, Sephiroth let out a hair-raising cackle that further infuriated Kaze to her breaking point.  
  
She let out a scream of rage and closed her eyes, her KI rising dangerously high. Sephiroth took a step back, but regained his cool. Maybe making her mad wasn't the best thing to do, but he knew that Kaze wouldn't rely too heavily on her dark powers. She wouldn't want to be taken under control, now would she? But he highly thought against it when Kaze reopened her eyes, which were now pure black.  
  
"You son of a bitch, you so much as poke my son with that skimpy piece of metal you call a fucking sword, I'll make sure that I'll be the last thing you see before I send you to hell in a matchbox!" Kaze's body was engulfed in a black aura. Her waist length braid flew wildly behind her before the rubber band holding it together snapped, causing the white strands to scatter around her body. With fists clinched and teeth gritted, she summoned the needed power of darkness it would take to bring Sephiroth to his knees.  
  
"_FOOLISH GIRL!_" Sephiroth flew at Kaze, but was knocked to the side by another body. He looked up at the intruder. "_STRIFE! _When the hell did you get here?"  
  
Kaze stole a glance at the man who had knocked her opponent to the side. Her body started shaking uncontrollably as the color of her hair started blinking from white to black and her eyes blinking from black to ice blue. She was trying to resist being taken over, but the rage at seeing her brother arrive caused something else to snap inside of her. She let out a piercing scream before her will was shattered and her body was submitted to the darkness.  
  
Both Cloud and Sephiroth looked up at stared in awe. Kaze's body was slowly but surely transforming.  She sunk to her knees, screeching in pain like an Irish banshee. Medium sized, black-feathered, sharp looking wings protruded from her shoulder blades, finally unfolding and spreading around her. Her stark white hair, which was fanned around her morphed into black, the wind whipping it askew made her alarmingly haunting. Her normally icy blue eyes were now fully raven black. Her screaming had ceased now as she had fully converted into a demon like creature. She rose to her feet and turned to the men.  Sephiroth's eyes widened in shock. Cloud was simply stunned. Levitating a few feet off of the ground and facing the horror struck gentlemen; she gave them a piercing glare.

"I'll kill…_both_ of you…" Kaze whispered before she charged Cloud.  
  
-  
  
"I don't want any of this slop," Laiktu hissed as he tossed the bowl aside. It rocked dangerously on the edge of the table before finally falling and shattering to tiny pieces.  
  
Kioko shared the same feelings, but just politely slid her bowl aside unlike her friend.  
  
"At least he was kind enough to give us something to eat," Kioko pointed out.  
  
"Kioko, we ate at least four hours ago, I don't think we're starving," Laiktu said sardonically.  
  
The kids were left to their own doing since Sephiroth left over half an hour ago. Being reluctantly obedient, they had stayed in the kitchen as agreed, though boredom was seeping in fast for Laiktu. He could hardly contain himself without moving for more than thirty minutes.  
  
"I'm bored," Laiktu said, not directing his statement to anyone. Kioko rolled her eyes. Making up his mind, he hopped off of his seat and pushed it back in. Kioko gasped loudly and followed suit, trying to stop Laiktu.

"_Laiktu_," Kioko moaned, "you know what that man said would happen if we move!" Agitated, he turned to face his white-faced companion.  
  
"Kioko, he's probably a billion miles from here, what's he gonna do?" Kioko opened her mouth, ready to give Laiktu a lashing out, when it froze. Laiktu waited for her to say something, but she stood there, looking like a fish out of water. He waved a hand to her face, waving it back and forth a few times.  
  
"Kioko, hello? Earth to dingbat? _Hello_?" She did not answer, let alone move an inch.  
  
"Whatever," Laiktu said, turning around and slamming headlong into something. He reeled back and balled up his feet, preparing to attack. His eyes followed an adorned white belt to the waist on up. It was their captive, Ansem.  
  
"Greetings, little ones. How was your meal?" He flashed them his alarming smile. Kioko let out a squeak, frozen with fear.  Laiktu crossed his arms.  
  
"It's you again," he said resentfully.  
  
"It's needless to say that you've missed me," Ansem said, brushing past him to the middle of the room. He swept the room with his eyes a few times, squinting in curiosity.  
  
"And where might Sephiroth be?" he said out loud, knowing the kids had no clue. But he soon figured out where his soldier disappeared to as he felt a woman's KI vibrating through him powerfully. He smiled cruelly.  
  
_She shall be with me soon_, he thought.  
  
"We don't know and we don't care," Laiktu bit out.  
  
Ansem was just about to answer the boy's retort gladly when an unpleasant voice rang through the hall. Kioko and Laiktu did not recognize it since their short stay at the castle.  
  
"_ANSEM_! _WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU_?" Ansem looked displeased.  
  
"Honestly, all of that racket is uncalled for."  
  
The doors to the dinning hall burst open as two guards came in, holding tightly two men who were bound by their wrists.  Laiktu and Kioko eyed the men who had great resemblance to their own. One had silvery, shoulder length locks that blended in with his aquamarine eyes that were hardened with anger. The other had wild, unruly chocolate brown hair, molded in spikes.  His sapphire eyes glinted in anger like his other captive.  
  
Ansem eagerly watched the children's expressions before turning his attention to the men  "I should have known it was none other than you. Guards, explain."  
  
"They just won't be still, sir," one of them grunted. "They tried to flee yet again."  
  
"If these mother fuckers weren't holding me back, I _swear_ I would tear your hide inside out, Ansem!" the one with the silver tresses bellowed.   
  
Kioko exchanged a look with Laiktu. Why did that man sound oddly similar to her silvery white haired friend?  
  
"Now, now," Ansem said, shaking a finger their way. "Not in front of the children."  
  
They looked down at the kids for the first time, mirroring the same puzzled looks as the children.  
  
"Laiktu, Kioko, may I introduce you to your new… _house guests_? Meet Riku and Sora."  
  
The spiky haired gentleman roared. "Well, this is a damn good way to introduce us to children, _in chains_!"  
  
Ansem ignored the one named Sora's words. "Boys, may I introduce you to Kioko and Laiktu, my _grandson_."  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note**: I had intended to update Friday, but I didn't get to. GOMEN! I'm really sorry. So, how did y'all like Chapter 7? Very revealing, wasn't it? The best has YET to come! I can promise you that! I want to thank Silver-hair Angel and Meilin Rae for making me get off my lazy ass and finish this; although, Silver deserves a lot of credit for this fic. She's helped me out so much! Love ya sis! (See, this is why I don't put her on the reviewer's corner anymore.) I do intend to finish this up by the end of the month. So, it won't be much longer y'all! I'm usually going to update on Friday's, but I may update two or three times a week, if my classes aren't giving me too much trouble. Oh, Meilin has also posted an _alternate_ ending to this fic. It's called Paradise. Do me a favor and check it out.   
  
§§  
  
Reviewer's Corner  
  
Harry: Help is a long ways away, but it'll get there. Trust me.  
  
Dimitri Plabato/Drake Dragon: You were the first person to actually figure it out before I posted! Congratulations! There's a lot more things to not expect in further chapters. Thank you for the wishing! I hope you had a Happy New Year!  
  
lighthope: Profanity is another descriptive language. It makes things sound better. Tee hee. Just kidding. Thanks for the info! I'll remember that from now on. Kaze isn't dark, she's just misunderstood…somewhat.  
  
Linear: I think I can say this for everyone, "You got your wish!" Sora and Riku are back in the action. Don't you just love Riku's mouth? I put a little more Sephiroth in here for you and RainWarriorPrincess—er--VixettaremIx, since you two said you liked him. Yes, the Laiktu and Kioko scenes are the best. Always make me smile when I'm writing them. I'm glad Kaze is one of your fav characters now. She's one helluva person to write and keep in character.  
  
Sorafan: And you're another person who figured out a clue to chapter 6! hugs you And the other question should be obvious.   
  
VixettaremIx: Go and change your penname on me, chica! ;;. Cloud and Kaze's relationship is different for a reason, which will be brought up here soon. I'm glad you like Laiktu's mouth. He's just a cute kid with select words to back it up. Kaze has the attitude more so than Laiktu, but yes, he does have it as well. Oh, and unless I'm contacted via email or IM, this is the only way to talk with the fans. I think when people review, they should get credit at the end, ne?  
  
Kintora: It's okay. I didn't mean to jump your case, which I hope I didn't. Silver-hair Angel has me defending yaoi now. Blame her! It's all her fault! Tee hee. But, if I do add a yaoi scene, which I don't know about yet, it won't be a full out lemon between the two. It won't be bad, just know that. lol.  
  
Inuyashalvr9: I'm glad you liked both stories. It's great to hear feedback from the fans! As for the comment on the yaoi thing, read Kintora's paragraph.  
  
Fallenangelofdarkness: Glad you love the fic. I'm enjoying writing it!  
  
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_Next Chapter_: Now that Kaze is under the control of darkness, what will happen to Cloud and Sephiroth? Will they be spared from her wrath or get the brakes beat off of them? And what about Ansem's sudden outburst? How will Laiktu and Kioko take to that? More importantly, what will Riku and Sora do? Stay tuned!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	8. All Kind of Trouble in the Neighborhood

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Eight: All kinds of Trouble in the Neighborhood.   
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora.  
  
**Author's Note**: I can't really give much of an introduction to this chapter. Fighting, cursing, blood, and other nice words I can't think of right now. Enjoy! Maybe a little bit of OOCness, but that's okay, right?  
  
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Kaze charged Cloud with staff raised high in the air. Cloud didn't have much time to defend himself before his sister swung her staff, connecting with the side of his face. He was sent flying to the side, doing a complete 180 in the air before landing hard on his side. Kaze, still in the air, kicked Cloud in the ribs a couple of times before grabbing the collar of his red cloak and picking him up.  
  
"Get a hold of yourself, Kaze!" Cloud screamed.  
  
Kaze didn't respond. She looked at the man and smiled before rearing back and throwing him into the wall. Cloud slumped against the wall, eyes glazed over. He was barley conscious. Kaze, thinking the job wasn't _done_, glided over to him and picked him up as she started throwing punches.  
  
Sephiroth stared at the sight in front of him. Kaze's fist connected with Cloud's face, causing blood to spew out of his nose and mouth, landing on his attire and the girl beating him. The swordsman could not believe his eyes. Ansem had told him several times that when Kaze lost her temper it was much like a tornado. She destroyed everything in her path. Decided that he wanted to keep his life, he turned around quickly and ran to a safe spot to summon a portal and leave.  
  
_You cannot run from me_. The demon thought as she dropped her older brother and flew towards Sephiroth, who was summoning a portal. She smirked and formed an energy ball in her left hand. She flew above Sephiroth, and, just as he was about to step through the portal, she hurled the energy ball, causing the portal to fluctuate and disappear.  
  
"Going somewhere?" Her voice was low and deadly as she landed behind Sephiroth, staff still in her right hand. "You started this fight. I suggest you stay until it's over. What would my father say if he knew you ran away from a fight like a little girl?"  
  
Sephiroth turned around, enraged by her words. He swung his no datchi, but Kaze stood unwavering as she caught the blade in between her knuckles. She clicked her tongue, much like her father, and shook her head disapprovingly.  
  
"You shouldn't swing your blade at a girl, Sephiroth. It's rude."  
  
Kaze released the blade and delivered a hard punch to Sephiroth's abdomen, sending him flying into the wall. She smiled wicked and cocked her head to the side to move her raven hair. She licked her lips and raised both of her hands, a black lightning forming in between them.  
  
"You….you wouldn't dark kill me, child," Sephiroth hissed as he stood up.   
  
"Oh…I would," Kaze levitated into the air, arms raised above her head, eyes narrowed angrily. "This is for my son."  
  
"_KAZE! NO!_" Cloud's frantic voice called out as he jumped her from behind, tackling her to the ground. He straddled her back, placing her arms behind her head. He looked up at his arch enemy, "If you want to live, I suggest you leave now."  
  
Sephiroth sheathed his no datchi and smirked at Cloud, "Honestly didn't think that you cared, Strife."  
  
Cloud narrowed his glowing blue eyes, "I can easily let her go."  
  
Sephiroth didn't have time to blink before he formed a portal and vanished. _Master is going to wonder what happened to make Kaze's power shoot up like that. I cannot lie and tell him I don't know. Shit…_  
  
"_GET OFF OF ME!_" Kaze screamed as she tried to kick Cloud. Since most of her brother's weight was on her wings, her back arched in pain. She felt somewhat better when Cloud rolled her over on her back, still straddling her and knees planted firmly on her wings.  
  
Cloud reared back and slapped Kaze on the cheek harshly, "Kaze, get a hold of yourself, dammit! You can't let the darkness control you! You're much stronger than that!" He remained unmoving even when Kaze's body started to glow black. "Think about our mother! What would she say if she saw you like this?"  
  
Kaze's face fell and her body stopped glowing. She looked at Cloud through her inky black eyes, "Mom?"  
  
The man nodded, "Yes! You know mother always told you that she never wanted to see you fall into the darkness like…your father did. Remember what _he_ did to her. He killed our mother! And I don't want you to start killing other people."  
  
Tears fell from the corner of her eyes as her hair started blinking back from starch white to raven black. Her eyes from ice blue to inky black. Cloud smiled, she was fighting for control of herself again. He could only thank the higher power that Kaze didn't use her full powers. At the most, she emitted a little over one third today.   
  
"Cloud," Kaze's voice rang in his ears. He looked down to see his true sister. White hair, blue eyes, and no wings. "Get the _fuck_ off of me!"  
  
The blonde jumped up as he watched Kaze sit up and wince. When he spoke, his voice held so many emotions, "Are you okay?" He offered her his hand  
  
Kaze's expression softened as she took her brother's hand and he hoisted her up. She bit her lower lip, "I'll survive.  It's just a couple of broken ribs and maybe a punctured lung. But that's not important. Who the in the _fuck_ gave you permission to come out here and help me fight? Huh? Let's hear it!"  
  
"Defeating Sephiroth is what I live to do. I came here to fight him myself and then I felt your KI raising sky high. If I hadn't of come, you would've killed Sephiroth a--"  
  
"And you're complaining about that?" Feeling less enraged than she should have in the first place, she walked away from him in the direction he came in. But before she could respond to him following her, she stumbled to the right, as her vision became hazy. She heard Cloud call out her name before she passed out.  
  
-  
  
The room was deathly quiet as the occupants tried to take in what Ansem had just blurted out. Sora and Riku looked from one another and then looked at Laiktu and Kioko who looked just as confused. Riku was about to ask Ansem what he was talking about; however, Laiktu beat him to the punch.  
  
The platinum hair boy leaped up into a nearby chair to be at Ansem's height and poked him in the shoulder, "What the fuck are you talking about you crazy motherfucker? Grandson? Me? Did your crazy ass mother drop you on your crazy ass head when you were little or are you just suffering from oxygen deprivation?"  
  
Kioko stood with her mouth wide open, "_Laiktu!_ Watch your mouth! What do you think Aunt Ka--"  
  
"I don't care what mom would say!" Laiktu roared and pointed at Ansem. "She would call him a crazy ass motherfucker too! You're not the one who just got claimed 'grandchild' by Snow White! I'd like to see how you'd react!"  
  
Ansem clicked his tongue, "You're so much like my daughter, Laiktu, it's unreal. Kaze had a tendency to run her mouth, much like you do. Although--"  
  
It was Riku's turn to speak, "Hold up, _Ansem_. What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Oh please. You're not as dumb as you look, Riku," The man of darkness said sarcastically. "Kaze is my daughter, if you hadn't figured it out and that child is--"  
  
"So, that boy is her son?" Sora asked, pointing towards Laiktu with his chained hands.  
  
Laiktu steamed, "My name is _LAIKTU_! Not 'that boy'! Not 'that child'! Laiktu!"  
  
"Laiktu, please calm down," Kioko said sweetly, her sapphire eyes softening. "There's no need to get upset. They're only words! He can't hurt you…well…he could, but I don't think he wants to yet."  
  
Ansem laughed mechanically, "You're smart, girl. Considering both of your parents are as dumb as a brick. Especially your father."  
  
"That is enough!" Laiktu said as he jumped onto Ansem's head and started pulling his hair and punching him in the head. "If you don't stop talking about my fucking family like we're damn dogs, I'm gonna bite your ear off!"  
  
Ansem frowned and picked Laiktu up by the back of his shirt, pulling the child off of him, "You do that again, _boy_, and I shall make your life in this world nonexistent." He reared back and threw Laiktu on the ground hard, the boy landing head first.  
  
"_LAIKTU!_" Kioko called out frantically and ran to help him. Her brother was lying on his back, clutching his head, and trying to hold his tears back. "Are you okay?"  
  
Riku growled and tried charging Ansem, as did Sora, but both were held back by the two guards. They landed painfully on their backsides.   
  
"That's a nice way to treat your own 'grandchild'!" Sora cried out. He stood up and growled. "You may be omnipotent, but that doesn't give you the right to use children as your play toys, you bastard!"  
  
Kioko blinked once and looked from the one named Sora to Ansem. Forgetting about Laiktu, she tugged on Ansem's pants leg, "Um…excuse me, but what does that word mean?"  
  
Ansem looked down at Kioko, "Omnipotent?"  
  
"Mm hmm."  
  
Riku rolled his eyes at the little girls naively, "It means he has a lot of power."  
  
"_OH_!" Kioko said. "Well, thank you. I didn't know what it meant so I thought that I would ask one of you since that guy with the brown hair said it and--"  
  
Ansem rubbed his temples, "Shut up!"  
  
Kioko puffed up her cheeks and slammed her feet on the ground, "What is it with you people and telling me to be quiet?"  
  
Laiktu smirked and sat up, rubbing his head, which was pounding with immense pressure, "See, I told you, you talk too much, Kioko."  
  
The white headed man smiled down at Laiktu and ruffled up his hair a little bit, "How could you not mistake him for my grandson?"  
  
"Don't touch me, motherfucker, or I'll bite your fingers off."  
  
"If you treat your own grandfather this way, I imagine how you will treat your father," Ansem smiled wickedly at Riku who returned his gaze with stunned comprehension.  
  
-  
  
"You know, I swear, I don't know what's in the air, but something about it is pretty fucked up," Leon said as he shuddered. The strange, powerful bout of energy he had felt moments ago had vanished.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Yuffie said, shining the flashlight under Kairi's eyelids.  
  
"You didn't just feel that…that…strange power?" Leon said in awe.  
  
"Nah, didn't feel a thing," she said. She clicked off the flashlight. "Well, I don't think she's waking up anytime s--"  
  
"_KAZE_!" Kairi shouted, bolting up so fast, she knocked Yuffie down on the floor. Leon was even taken in shock by the conscious girl's sudden outburst. He backed up a few steps. Yuffie was knocked out cold on the floor.  
  
"Great," he sighed. "When we finally get one awake, the other one gets knocked out."  
  
"_KAZE_!" Kairi shouted again, looking frantically around. Automatically spotting Leon, she grabbed hold of Leon's shirt and yanked him closer to her face.  
  
"Kaze, where's Kaze?" she said, panicky, shaking Leon slightly. Kairi was surprisingly far from fragile; she had a remarkably strong grip as Leon was learning. He tried to wriggle free, but she refused to let him go.  
  
"_I SAID WHERE IS KAZE_?" she yelled, shaking Leon harder.  
  
"I don't know!" Leon said as dizziness was taking over him. He grabbed her arm tightly and forced her to unclench his shirt.  
  
"Kairi, I don't know," he said calmly.  "But are you okay?"  
  
"Enough with me!" she screamed.  "Kaze isn't okay!  She's--"  
  
"--right here," Cloud said, entering the room with Kaze cradled in his hands. Kairi cupped her hands to her open mouth.  
  
"_KAZE, WHAT HAPPENED TO HER? WHAT DID YOU DO_?"  
  
Cloud raised his eyebrows, amazed at Kairi's concern for Kaze.  
  
"I did nothing," Cloud said, voice level. "But you might want to give Sephiroth a good kick in the ass for me the next time you run into him." He sighed. "He made her lose control and she almost crossed over to the dark side."  
  
Kairi was on the verge of crying at this tidbit of information.  
  
"How did you get awake?" he said, looking from Kairi, to Yuffie passed out on the floor, to Leon's ruffled shirt with a tiny tear visible. "Was there another fight here?"  
  
"I felt…something strange… it was so powerful," Kairi said, her voice low. "It was powerful enough to jerk me into consciousness.  That must have been Kaze…"  
  
Cloud nodded. "Well, we are glad to see you breathing. Yuffie, on the other hand, has hit one wall too many."  
  
Leon rolled his eyes and hoisted Yuffie up. She groaned and held her head in agony.

"Man, remind me never to wake her up again," she grumbled.  
  
"I swear," Aerith said as she burst into the room, respectively ignoring Cloud. "What is going on here? What are all of you doing to be making all of this racket?"  
  
Leon pointed to Cloud, holding Kaze. Obviously wanting to avoid recognizing Cloud was alive, she allowed herself to look at Kaze's limp body in his arms.  
  
She gasped in horror. "_WHAT IN GOD'S NAME HAPPENED?!_" She narrowed her eyes at Cloud. "_WHAT DID YOU DO, CLOUD_?"  
  
"_I_," he said sharply, still reminded of their little tiff earlier, "did nothing. I happened to find Kaze before she slaughtered Sephiroth and came back to kill the whole lot of us off."  
  
"Sephiroth?" Aerith said in surprise. "I thought I felt his fowl KI through here…"  
  
"So… you didn't knock the living daylights out of her?" Yuffie asked. Cloud growled and lunged for her, but luckily Leon pushed him back.  
  
"Yeah, and he said _Sephiroth_ did it," Yuffie snorted, keeping her distance from Cloud.  
  
"But Sephiroth… here?" Leon said curious thought.  
  
"Yeah, and _he_ knocked _her_ out," Yuffie said mirthlessly, as if the idea was ridiculous. She laughed heartily, the laughter stopping instantaneously after catching Cloud's enraged face.  
  
"Yuffie," Cloud said in a harsh voice. "If you don't want _me_ to knock _you_ out, I suggest you shut it!"  
  
"You won't hurt me!" Yuffie threw back.  
  
"Oh yes he can," Leon stated, "if that's what happened to Kaze--"   
  
"_I DIDN'T DO IT_!" he yelled through the room.  
  
"_Right_," Yuffie said, rolling her eyes dramatically. "_SEPHIROTH DID IT…_"  
  
"_LEON, YOU'D BETTER FUCKING GET HER BEFORE I RIP OUT HER LUNGS!_" Cloud thundered, making Yuffie jump behind Leon to shield herself from him.  
  
"_QUIET, GOD DAMMIT!_" Kaze burst out, snapping awake. "I swear, I hear him threatening anyone else, I'll jump up and help him kick their ass!" She realized a fraction of a second later that he was holding her. "What the fuck did you do to me, Cloud?!"  
  
"_I DIDN'T DO SHIT_!" he boomed, throwing Kaze on top of Kairi. Kairi cried out from the crushing weight of Kaze as she landed right on top of her chest. She weakly tried to push her off.  
  
"_I_'_M GOING BEFORE I LOSE MY SANITY_!" he bellowed before opening the door and slamming it roughly. A few hinges popping out from the force of the slam.  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note**: I'm updating early! HAHA! I dominate! Well, what about this chappie, huh? I think I may have freaked too many people out with Kaze going 'full bitch'. Ansem's a bastard in this chapter. Well…let me rephrase that…Ansem's a **_bigger_** bastard in this chapter. I'll try my best to update again Friday. I want to finish this by the end of the month and _maybe_ just _maybe_ start a sequel to this one. Remember, Meilin Rae has an _alternate_ story up based around this one. It's called Paradise. If you guys don't go and review it, you'll never see another chapter of this story again! looks around nervously Just kidding…  
  
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Reviewer's Corner  
  
lighthope: That's a first to hear that Sephiroth was Kaze's father. Although, I did give several clues and made them sound like he was her father. lol. I'm glad you're blocking out most of the profanity…I guess you had to do a lot of that in this chappie, huh? Laiktu running his mouth. Kaze came back to normal! I told you she would!   
  
VixettaremIx: does a dance for herself hehe. Made me dance in my swivel chair. I'm glad that you liked all of the Sephiroth! He's a cool guy and will play a _major_ role in latter chapters. This is one of the many that will feature him, trust me. I'm trying to make it to where everyone hates Ansem, but then by the end when everything is unveiled, I want someone to actually feel sorry for him….well…kinda. Sephiroth has known Kaze for many years, just as he has known Cloud. My skills aren't THAT good, now.  
  
Harry: She got it under control, right? Well…at least for the time being anyhow.  
  
Sorafan: hugs back Of course I put you in! If you review, you get put in! You scared me for a minute there when you said you didn't like the "ten years after" kind of stories, but I felt better when you said you liked mine. Gave me a scare.  
  
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_Next Chapter_: Now that Kairi is awake, she starts asking questions about Sora and Riku's whereabouts. Everyone else doesn't have the gal to tell her, so who better else to answer them than the King. Kaze goes and has a heart to heart talk with her brother while Riku and Sora find out the inevitable truth…they are fathers…  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	9. Settling the Score

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Nine: Settling the Score  
  
Pairings: Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora.  
  
Author's Note: I'm not sure whether or not I should continue. There weren't as many reviews for the last chapter and that makes me feel bad. ;;…but that's okay. I'll write it anyway. I promised to have the fic finished by the end of the month, so that is what I'll do. As Silver-hair Angel told me, "You all had better review, or I will personally deliver bombs equipped with a picture of Kairi in a bunny suit at your doorsteps!"  
  
-  
  
"Geez, what _is_ his problem?" Yuffie burst out, breaking the complete silence Cloud initiated after his explosive exit.  
  
"Kaze," Kairi huffed, "I love you, but _GET OFF_!"  
  
Kaze, now realizing that Kairi was a few seconds away from suffocating, hopped off of her. Kaze's legs wobbled dangerously, so she steadied herself by grasping Kairi's arm.  
  
Aerith was silent for a long time, something unusual out of her in these types of situations to those that were close to the girl. Whether she was still brooding over her and Cloud's nasty fit was not known until she finally spoke her mind.  
  
"Sephiroth was not here just to start a blood bath. He had a purpose."  
  
"Yeah," muttered Kaze, "To rip my head off."   
  
Kaze had trouble standing properly until Aerith finally ordered her to sit while she healed her legs. "Better?" she asked. Kaze meekly nodded.  
  
"You okay Kairi?" Yuffie asked.    
  
"Yeah, you nearly gave us a scare, and Yuffie a concussion," Leon replied.  
  
Kairi vaguely nodded. She was chewing on her lip nervously, a sign that something was troubling her. Kaze eyed her before finally demanding of her what was wrong.  
  
Without any pretense, Kairi shot out, "Where are Sora and Riku?"  
  
Another annoyingly unnerving silence overcame them. Yuffie scratched the floor with her foot. Leon crossed his arms over his chest and diverted his eyes to the floor. Aerith twiddled her fingers nervously. Kaze had an unreadable expression on her face, but Kairi could fathom that no one wanted to ask her long awaited question.  
  
"_I SAID, WHERE ARE SORA AND RIKU_!" she screeched through the room, making everyone slightly jump. "I know you know!" she cried, tears spilling from her eyes. "I hate it when people have to keep up this secretive bullshit! Someone had better tell me now, god dammit, _NOW_!"  
  
There was still nothing but silence. Kairi looked from Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith to Kaze, who was staring back at her. Kairi pursed her lips together and pointed at Kaze, "If you know something, you better tell me. I want to know where Riku and Sora are right fucking now!"  
  
Kaze looked dead into Kairi's eyes and shook her head before turning on her heel and walking towards the door. Kairi was fuming.  
  
"Kaze, if you don't tell me right now, I swear--"  
  
An unidentifiable voice interrupted, "Princess Kairi, you shouldn't pester a person who could easily cause your destruction. I shall tell you what you want to know."  
  
Kaze took this opportunity to slip out of the room while the guest made his appearance. The white headed girl sighed on the other side of the door and closed her eyes, searching for someone in particular. Kaze needed to set some things straight with her brother once and for all.  
  
-  
  
Ansem's words started a chain reaction of silent shocked gestures. Laiktu's mouth dropped dramatically. Kioko put a hand to her mouth and looked back and forth from Riku to Laiktu. Sora narrowed his eyes, being too cynical to believe in a person like Ansem. But as he looked to the shocked boy to an equally shocked Riku, he was forced to accept the truth--Riku _WAS_ Laiktu's father.  
  
"Nothing like a family reunion to bring practically strangers closer," Ansem drawled all too enjoying mentally torturing his prisoners. "Isn't that right, Sora?"  
  
Sora snapped his head back to glare at Ansem. "What are you going on about now, you bastard?"  
  
Ansem rolled his eyes. "You didn't _notice_? I expected this out of Riku, but _you_, _Sora_? I'm in shock."  
  
"Mother fucker, if you don't start singing like a canary what the _hell_ is going on, I _swear_, your body parts will be littered on the floor," Riku spat.  
  
"Control your anger," Ansem said levelly. "I wouldn't want to hurt you in front of your own child."  
  
Riku roared, and tried against his bondage to charge for Ansem. He was thwarted when one of Ansem's minions waved a taser in his face. Eyeing it apprehensively, he forcibly settled down, throwing Ansem a withering look.  
  
Ansem beamed in that cruel smile of his.  
  
"Do you mean to tell me," Laiktu said, snapping back to his fiery self, "that this mother fucker right here--"  
  
"Hey, I prefer to be called by my name, _Riku_," Riku said loudly, cutting off Laiktu.  
  
"--_IS MY FATHER_?" Laiktu rushed out, ignoring Riku's outburst. Kioko gasped as though this was new to her.  
  
Ansem nodded and leered at him. "You couldn't tell, Laiktu? I swear, stupidity must run in the family."  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sora yelled as Riku made a move towards Ansem, "You said this boy--"  
  
"_LAIKTU, GOD DAMMIT, YOU SPIKY HAIRED PORCUPINE_!" Laiktu bit out.  
  
"_LAIKTU_," Sora said bluntly, "was your grandchild?"  
  
"That is correct," Ansem said smugly.  
  
Sora looked nonplussed. This surely couldn't have been right. If Laiktu was his grandson, and Riku is his father, _she_ couldn't be…  
  
"Then…his mother is…"  
  
-  
  
All eyes in the room looked up to see his majesty, King Mickey, standing in the doorway to the medical room. In his left hand, shimmering brilliantly was the Kingdom Keyblade. His lips were curved into a small smile, but all could see the fatigue on the king's face.  
  
"Sorry I burst in like that. I really should've given you guys some sort of notice."  
  
Kairi stared at the mouse for a moment before returning to her previous task: interrogating.   
  
"You said you know where Riku and Sora are?" The mouse nodded and Kairi smiled somewhat happily. "Where are they? Can I see them? Are they okay?"  
  
Mickey laughed and raised his hand, "Slow down, Princess. There's only so much I can answer for ya. Now, where to begin…"

"Start with the truth!" Kairi screeched.  The mouse king nodded, and drew himself up regally.  In a somber, serious tone, he complied with Kairi's request.  
  
"Well, let me start from the beginning…"  
  
-  
  
"Where could he be," Kaze muttered, sighing in exasperation. As much as she wanted to settle their grudges they harbored for each other for quite some time, she was a very impatient person and with every second of scouring the halls, her ingenuity to approach Cloud and smooth things over was dwindling.  
  
Finally giving in, Kaze slumped down against the door to the Grand Hall, the area in which her and Cloud first encountered since their teenage years.  
  
She closed her eyes, attempting to clear her clouded mind. There was no sign of her children yet, she damn near surrendered her body over to the forces of darkness and at the hands of her psycho father, and almost put her life, and Kairi's on the line. And to cap it off, Kairi's curiosity of Riku and Sora's whereabouts was wearing on her nerves, even more so now that they were at Hallow Bastion.  
  
She rubbed her temples in aggravation.  
  
"Shit," she cursed, her mind being overwhelmed with the events sparked today.  
  
"For a woman, you sure have quite a mouth on you," a voice said directly in front of her. She raised her head to see Cloud, cloaked in his usual cape, staring steely at her. Something inside her wanted to jump up and embrace him, but her senses and better judgment prevented such a thing.  
  
She stared back at him, almost defiantly. He scoffed after a while, and proceeded to the Grand Hall, avoiding her eyes.  
  
"Cloud, wait," Kaze finally said, sighing.  
  
"What?" he asked icily, not bothering to look at her. She flinched at the coldness in his voice, but kept up the hardly begun conversation.  
  
"I know you're mad at me."  
  
"This is new to you?"  
  
"You know what I'm talking about!" Kaze snapped.  
  
"No I don't, Kaze," he said placidly. He refused to look at her.  
  
"The hell you don't! It's the same thing you were mad at me for when our mother died!" His hand that was clutching the door handle gripped it tightly.  
  
"Don't you fucking drag up old bones," he hissed. "Don't fucking start it."  
  
"Why, Cloud?" she began in a harsh voice. "Why do you blame me?"  
  
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose.  
  
"Is it because I look like him?" Kaze continued. "Because I have the same traits he does?"  
  
"_NOT NOW_," Cloud hissed, feigning somewhat forced coolness.  
  
"Yes, _NOW_!" Kaze trilled, leaping up and stabbing her finger in his face. "Right fucking now!"  
  
"Kaze," Cloud began in an edgy voice, "Leave whatever's in the past in the past. Drop it now."  
  
"I refuse to, god dammit, until you tell me why do you blame me!"  
  
"God dammit Kaze, don't make me hurt you," Cloud said, laughing bitterly.  
  
"_FUCK, CLOUD, TALK TO ME! INSTEAD OF TREATING ME LIKE A FUCKING MUTT, TREAT ME LIKE A HUMAN BEING_!" Kaze yelled desperately. Cloud's chest was heaving up and down.  
  
"_I AM YOUR SISTER!_ " Kaze said indignantly."_I DO THINK THAT WE BOTH HAD THE SAME MOTHER UNLESS SOMEONE HAD A ONE NIGHT STAND WHEN THEY WERE FUCKING STONED AND LIED TO US_!"  
  
Cloud had past the breaking point.  
  
"_YOU KNOW WHY I BLAME YOU_?" Cloud growled, turning to face her and backing her up against the wall. Kaze glowered at him, but did not do anything to further fuel his anger.  
  
His eyes were cold, unyielding. They glared at her with a fury, as she had never seen before. He moved his face close so that his nose was merely inches from her own.  
  
"_I BLAME YOU BECAUSE YOU DID NOTHING_! _YOU FUCKING STOOD THERE, LETTING IT HAPPEN! YOU KNOW SHE WAS THE FUCKING WEAK ONE, AND YET YOU LET THAT BASTARD KILL HER, YOU LET HIM KILL MY MOTHER_!" He rose his hand as if to slap Kaze, but in his sudden rage, and overwhelmed with frustration he grasped his hair instead and yanked on it roughly.  
  
"_GOD_!" He croaked. "It's a fucking wonder I haven't hurt you, Kaze!"  
  
Feeling a moment of numbness, Kaze blankly stared at the ground. She knew that he still blamed her for the tragic death of their mother, but she didn't know how powerfully he felt about it; Cloud always was the indifferent type. He never let anything shake him.  
  
"She was my mother too," Kaze whispered.  
  
"_OH YEAH, AND YOU SURELY ACTED LIKE HER FUCKING DAUGHTER BY STANDING THERE AND WATCHING HER DIE_!"  
  
"You weren't there," Kaze said acidly. "You didn't see what I saw!"  
  
"_THE DEAD BODY LYING AND FUCKING BLEEDING ON THE FLOOR WAS ALL I NEEDED TO SEE, KAZE!" _Cloud bellowed_. _"_DID I NEED A FULL FUCKING COMENTARY_?"  
  
Kaze's eyes became misty. Cloud shook his head in conformation. He didn't need further proof; it was all made up in his mind. "God you can be such a stupid bitch."  
  
Kaze was now pissed at Cloud lashing his anger unnecessarily at her. He had a reason to be mad, but to call Kaze an insensitive bitch had gone a bit too far.  
  
"I don't like being called a bitch, mother fucker, so I suggest you watch your tone," she bit out.  
  
"What, am I supposed to call you sister dearest, or to basically grovel at your fucking feet and say thank you for sending our fucking mother to her death?!"  
  
"No, what you need to do is take a fucking chill pill!" Kaze said heatedly, fed up with Cloud's vehemence. "We both need to rationally talk about this!"  
  
"Why?" Cloud said, thrusting his arms out. "What the hell is so important to talk about it now?"  
  
"Because if you want to lose the rest of your family, you'll at least shut the fuck up to hear what they have to say before they go to hell!" Cloud threw her a venomous look before finally lapsing into silence.  
  
Kaze took a deep breath before re-attempting to talk to her estranged brother.  
  
"I can't say it's not my fault, Cloud, you damn well know that!" He snorted in agreement. "I still blame myself for it…but you don't hate me because mother died, do you? You hate me because I'm just like him!"  
  
"You are," Cloud said simply.  
  
"_FUCK, I'M NOT LIKE HIM AT ALL! HE'S AN OBSESSIVE, DARKNESS LOVING PSYCHO_! _I_ NEVER _WANTED TO END UP LIKE HIM, AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF THAT HAPPENS ANYTIME SOON_!"  
  
Cloud swiped at his face, evidence that tears were pouring at his face. Kaze was on the verge of getting teary-eyed at the memory of her mother.  
  
Her mother was basically responsible for Kaze being able to tolerate life. Her mother loved her dearly and in turn, Kaze shed unconditional love for her and it was the same with her father before he turned. Her father, however, was the complete opposite of the nurturing type. It seemed from Kaze and Cloud's birth, Kaze's father, who had took Cloud under his wing, was completely horrible to them all, especially their mother.  
  
Kaze had repeatedly pleaded with her to leave their father. But only she harbored love for him despite Cloud and Kaze's resentment towards him. Instead of heeding her children's words, their mother tried to plead with their father, trying her best to abstain him from the darkness.  
  
And then…a nightmare became a reality. Walking into their kitchen and seeing their mother's stabbed body lying in a pool of her own blood wasn't exactly a good welcome home. Cloud, in a rage, tore the house up and down in search for Kaze's father, but he seemed to have disappeared. All Kaze could do was collapse onto the floor, sobbing at her mother's feet.  
  
In the end, love was what killed her mother.  
  
Kaze bawled her hands into fists. "I loved her… and he took her away from me!" She sunk to her knees, her tears gushing out. Cloud, allowing his anger to ebb away in spite of himself, kneeled to her side and tried to embrace her. "_NO! GET THE FUCK OFF ME_!" She spat, trying to wipe her tears away. "That's why our mother is dead! She had a fucking heart!"  
  
"Is that how you want your son to be?" Cloud asked softly. "Just like you, heartless?"  
  
She looked up at him through her tears. "Well…"  
  
"No, you don't," Cloud said firmly. "We had one in the family, Kaze, we don't need anyone to pick up in his footsteps."  
  
He stood up. "Stop acting like nothing in the world is worth living for. That's also what mother taught us."  
  
He returned to his spot at the door when Kaze's voice croaked, "Where does that leave us?"  
  
He turned around. "Kaze, you'll always be my sister. I've just been… too blind to see it. Maybe you aren't like him after all. Maybe… you can change. But you have to _believe_ in yourself. Allow yourself to care. Allow yourself… to love."  
  
"I can't…"  
  
"Then you're better off with our mother."  
  
Without another word, he stalked off into the Grand Hall.  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note**: THE TRUTH IS REVEALED! Well…sort of. If any of you guys are confused by this, review and let me know! I'll put an in-depth look at it in another chapter. Cloud and Kaze went at it, huh? Hehe. That's just the beginning!  
  
§§  
  
Reviewer's Corner:  
  
BulmaMonster: Cliffhangers are my strong point aside from lemon's and angst. Glad you like the story! Keep reviewing and I'll keep writing!  
  
Sorafan: Laiktu and Kioko are a lot like their father's, but have some qualities of their mother's as well. I updated!  
  
VixettaremIx: I don't know if I got all of your review. It ended right here: "Although you did". is confused But that's okay. Yeah, the last chapter really didn't have a theme. It was just…there. But, now you know about Kaze's mother, somewhat. Glad you liked Kioko's dumb moments! She's so special.  
  
Linear: hugs I thought you were missing or something! You didn't review for a while and I thought I was gonna cry. ;;. Yeah, I know how finals are. I hope you get your internet fixed and you liked this new chapter!   
  
Anime-Master7: I'm glad you liked the story! It's really fun to write! I hope you like this chapter!  
  
§§  
  
_Next Chapter_: Kairi finally finds out what happened to Sora and Riku while Kaze and Cloud are still arguing about their past…somewhat. Meanwhile, Sephiroth returns to Ansem and tells him of the fight with Kaze while Sora, Riku, Laiktu, and Kioko get pissed.  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	10. Reconciliation's of the Past

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter 10: Reconciliation's of the Past  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Sora/Riku  
  
**Author's Note**: AH! I'm so sorry! I haven't updated in forever! Forgive me my loyal fans! I'm trying to work on this fic as much as I can, but school is being a bitch and a half! I've got so much work to do! Not to mention family problems. I promise I'll have Chapter 11 up in less than a week! I love you guys, now, read on!  
  
¤-¤  
  
"Then the mother must be…" It began to dawn on Sora, but before his suspicions could be confirmed, a loud snap, and a livid looking Sephiroth interrupted the flow of revelations.  
  
"Forgive me master," Sephiroth said with a hasty bow, "but your daughter is more psychotic than you!"  
  
Ansem raised his eyebrows in interest. The rest of the room was silent, having nothing to preoccupy their time but to watch the pair of them chat.  
  
"She tried to kill me! And what's worse, Strife came in and saved the day! He is pathetically heroic. I mean, Kaze was within my reach when--"  
  
Sephiroth was so caught up in his ranting, that he wasn't aware of saying Kaze's name. The rest of the occupants, however, heard it loud and clear.  
  
"_KAZE_?!" Riku shouted, desperately struggling against his bondage.  
  
"Kaze?" Sora muttered, nodding his hand in conformity.  
  
"Mom?" Laiktu gasped.  
  
"Wait, is he talking about the Kaze that's your mother and my aunt? Is that the Kaze that's threatens my mother every day? Or is that a Kaze who is this crazy man's daughter, cause then that means that you both aren't related, because Kaze is your mom and she is his daughter and he said that you are…his…grandson," Kioko said slowly, it striking her. "_AUNT KAZE_?"  
  
"Aunt?" Riku cried, wave after wave of shocking news hitting him.  
  
"Uh-huh, that's his mommy," Kioko said pointing at Laiktu  
  
"Riku, how many people did you bang?" Sora said, his hand reeling.  
  
"_I BANGED? FOR ALL I KNOW, THESE KIDS CAN BE SANTA'S FUCKING HELPERS_!"  
  
"His aunt is Kairi," Kioko continued, shaking her head and beaming.  
  
"_KAZE AND KAIRI ARE RELATED_?" Riku bellowed.  
  
"They are?" Kioko said panicky. "But then that means that my mommy is really your sister and that we really are cousins and that means that your daddy is my half daddy and my daddy is your half daddy and that means this scary guy is my half half half half grandfather…and…I DON'T GET IT!" Kioko wailed and began to cry.  
  
"I hate to intrude on this lovely moment, but _WILL YOU ALL MIND SHUTTING UP_!?" Sephiroth roared.  
  
Laiktu stiffened, "You're the asshole that came in here screaming about my mom. She probably kicked your sorry, dragon winged ass!"  
  
"Boy," Sephiroth said through gritted teeth, "If you don't _shut up_, I'll feed you to the Heartless for dinner."  
  
Riku growled, "_HEY! _That is no way to talk to my--"  
  
"Oh, that's a nice threat. I've heard better from my mom threatening Aunt Kairi everyday. Please, come up with something a little more…original," Laiktu said, ignoring Riku's defensive outburst.  
  
Sephiroth reached for his no datchi, but Ansem grabbed his wrist, preventing him from unsheathing his weapon. He looked at his master with confusion.  
  
"Master?"  
  
Ansem smirked, "He's not suppose to die…_yet_. His time will come as will the rest of the gang."  
  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Laiktu and Riku bellowed at the same time.  
  
Kioko looked between Riku and Laiktu and smiled at the thought. _Oh yeah, they're related. I always though Laiktu got his attitude from Aunt Kaze, but it kinda looks like he gets it from his daddy too._ She turned her attention from the two platinum hair males to the one standing beside Riku. _I can't put my finger on it, but I feel like I should know him. He looks so…familiar. _Although she did not voice her opinion, it was obvious she was thinking about something.  
  
Sora, ignoring the gaping stares from the little girl, glared at Ansem, "Why don't you tell us what's going on, Ansem ole buddy, or do I have to beat it out of you?"  
  
-  
  
Kaze blinked and watched Cloud walk into the Grand Hall, red cape swishing behind him. Her older brother's words echoed in her mind over and over.  
  
"_Then you're better off with our mother_."  
  
Fists clinched at her side and tears brimming in her ice blue orbs, she shot up, as fast as lighting, to catch up with Cloud. She saw him fiddling with the controls of the Dark Depths. Not bothering with the steps, Kaze leaned back and jumped into the air, landing in front of the Dark Depths.  
  
"_Cloud!_"  
  
The blonde man turned around only to feel Kaze grab his collar roughly. She lifted him off the ground. He started deep into her eyes, "What the hell are you doing, Kaze? If you don't put me down, I swear to all that's holy, I'll--"  
  
"You won't do shit," Kaze said coldly. "I could kill you with a flick of my wrist, you know that to be true."  
  
Cloud sneered, "Then why don't you?"  
  
Kaze smiled in a somewhat twisted way, "I don't kill my family."  
  
With that, she turned around threw him into the Dark Depths, jumping in after she knew he was on the other side safely. She stood on the oddly, sickly colorful ground as she watched Cloud struggling to get up. Smirking sadistically, she turned around and raised her arms high in the air.  
  
"What," Cloud spat and stood up, "are you doing?"  
  
Kaze turned around, eyes black as coal, arms still rose in the air, "Making sure no one disturbs use, Cloud. We have a score to settle."  
  
"You've lost your fucking marbles, Kaze," The blonde shouted. He made a move for his buster sword, but, for some odd and unknown reason, he couldn't move. He caught a glimpse of Kaze chanting before the portal back to Hollow Bastion closed. He had forgotten one simple detail: She was the daughter of darkness and he was in her terrain now.  
  
-  
  
"Honestly, Sora, this is not the place to be hosting ignoramuses."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora threw out strongly, still avoiding Kioko's gawking eyes.  
  
Ansem gave a tired sigh. "It means that Riku is Laiktu's father!" He gave a sneering look to Kioko. "And that can only mean…"  
  
"What?" Laiktu, Riku, and Kioko said simultaneously.  
  
"_SIR_," Sephiroth said in a cutting voice. "Do we really have time for these _shenanigans_?"  
  
Ansem looked over the sulking bunch, considering whether or not to tease them further. With a slight shrug and a simpering smile, he addressed Sephiroth.  
  
"You're right, Sephiroth. It's on to business from now on. I'll let them figure it out on their on."  
  
"Figure what out?" Sora said as Ansem snapped his fingers. The guards securing them dragged them backwards followed by two more guards who grabbed the kids. They struggled but to little prevail.

"_BASTARD_!" Laiktu bit out, kicking and flailing his arms. "_FUCKNG BASTARD_!"  
  
"Good riddance," Sephiroth said with a heavy scowl. Ansem sighed and paced around Sephiroth.  
  
"Well?" he said.  
  
"Well what, sir?" Sephiroth asked uncertainly.  
  
"Why have you failed me?" he asked, tsking.  
  
"B-But, sir, what do you mean?" Sephiroth stuttered. "You said I wasn't supposed to kill her!"  
  
"Nor were you supposed to chase her off.  Not only has her recent laxity of her powers barred her from wanting to use them again, but also now she has no trail to follow from your sloppy tracks since you left in cowardice. And without her using her powers, we can't find her."  
  
Ansem dangerously paced around Sephiroth, making him even more nervous for what awaited him next.  
  
"S-So that means," Sephiroth said softly.  
  
Ansem stopped pacing and grabbed his jacket collar. He lifted Sephiroth up effortlessly two feet in the air and held him there, glaring into his frightened face.  
  
"You blew it, Sephiroth!" he roared, his fury showing a completely different side of Ansem. "And I cannot have failures working alongside me!"  
  
"Sir please," Sephiroth said, whimpering. "Spare me mercy! Please!"  
  
"I am not a man of mercy," Ansem said harshly. "I am a mercenary! And you are meaningless!"  
  
Ansem's eyes morphed freakily into black as he steadily rose Sephiroth higher and higher. He soon stopped abruptly, however, when he felt a certain someone's KI raise dangerously high.  
  
"Fool," he said softly as he dropped Sephiroth onto the ground carelessly. "She knows that even in the Dark Depths I can sense her."  
  
Sephiroth sobbed pathetically onto the floor, curled up into a little ball.  
  
Ansem's eyes returned to normal and he smoothed his hair back. As if nothing happened, he lifted Sephiroth to his feet.  Sephiroth flinched, expecting Ansem to hurt him.  
  
"Relax, Sephiroth," he said in a calm voice. "It seems you have not failed me after all. Do you feel that?"  
  
Sephiroth paused for a minute before he felt the rush of power hit him strongly.  
  
"Her KI…it's shooting through the roof!"  
  
"Exactly," Ansem breathed.  
  
"But, what could be happening to make her KI go up like that again?" Sephiroth asked. Ansem himself said that she wouldn't dare let her powers get too out of control, yet it had barely been an hour ago and her KI was raising sharply.  
  
"The reason, it does not matter," Ansem said smoothly. "What matters is that you will live to see another day. Let's_ take care of business_."  
  
-  
  
Cloud stared down at Kaze, "What the fuck is this all about?"  
  
Kaze laughed morbidly and lowered her KI a little to keep her cool, "I want to make some things clear, Cloud. You don't fully understand my past."  
  
The blonde huffed and crossed his arms, "Go ahead and spill it. I don't have all day."  
  
"Patience is a virtue, dear brother," Kaze whispered harshly. She inhaled slowly and sat down on the floor, crossing her legs and exhaling softly, trying to keep her emotions in check. She stoically stared into her half sibling's eyes, only for him to return it with a scowl.

"All of this hate between us, Cloud, will end now."

He snorted in disbelief, but did not express his cynicism. Kaze took a deep breath before beginning her story.  
  
"Once upon a time Ansem use to be a nice person, which is hard to believe considering what he's done. I was his little girl, Cloud," Kaze said wistfully, her eyes glazing over. She laughed a little, trying to hold back her tears. "He did everything for me. If he was working on something important and I came to him and asked him to play a game with me, he'd gladly stop to spend time with his little girl. I was his princess. He would tell me that everyday. I loved him. He was my knight in shining armor, always there to save me from the bad dreams or other children. Always…  
  
"The night of my tenth birthday, when he came to tuck me in after mother left, he told me that he always wanted to protect me. He went on rambling about how he started to pursue knowledge about the darkness in everyone's hearts. I told him I didn't understand, but he kept saying that I would one day. 'As the leader of this world, I must find the answers.'"  
  
Cloud made no move. His face was stone cold as he listened to his half-sister's words. He felt no compassion towards Kaze. He wanted to know how quickly he could escape from the darkness-ridden place.  
  
Kaze continued on.  
  
"The following day, he started some weird experiments. He left early in the morning and came home in the late hours of the night, which didn't give me any time to spend with him. I missed him so very much during those days. Finally, I got up the courage to go and see him at work."  
  
She uttered what sounded like a croak before continuing.   
  
"Cloud, it was awful. He had the people of this world strapped down on chairs and he was extracting the darkness out of their hearts. It was horrid. I didn't know what to do. I was petrified. When I went to turn around, I tripped over a wire. That was the first time in my entire life that my papa yelled at me."  
  
The blonde rolled his glowing blue eyes. Kaze's tedious tale only wore on his patience and nerves. _What is the meaning of this bullshit?_  
  
Kaze's eyes shot up to meet Cloud's. Apparently from his heavy scowl and avoidance of Kaze's eyes, he was not moved by her sob story. "The moral of the story, O stupid one, is that my father isn't as bad as he may seem!"  
  
Cloud's facial expression changed from one of glowering, to one of disbelief. He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Oh…give me a break, Kaze. He's as loony as a fucking nutcase!"  
  
"_SHUT UP_!" Kaze screamed, trying to keep her temper in check and making sure to stay sitting down on the floor. "You don't know my father! _YOU DON'T FUCKING KNOW HIM_! He was a kind and gentle person! He always wanted to spend time with me and mother before you moved your ass in!"  
  
"So you're blaming Ansem's craziness on me?" Cloud said, affronted. He didn't buy one bit of Kaze's story about her so-called precious father. "Take your bullshit somewhere else, Kaze."  
  
"I'm not blaming it on you, Cloud!" Kaze's voice echoed through the Dark Depthsas she levitated a few inches off of the ground._ "I'M BLAMING IT ON ME_!"  
  
Cloud stood there silently, watching his sister's now tear stained face.  
  
"Father talked about how he always wanted to protect my mother and me. He told me that reason he gave himself to the darkness was so he could always protect me and keep me safe! Dammit Cloud, I blame myself. His love for mother and me was what caused him to stray from the light. The reason he is dead to me is because he had a heart! The same exact fucking reason our mother is _DEAD_!"  
  
As much as he angered himself for pitying Kaze, he couldn't help but loosen up at her heartfelt words.  
  
"Kaze…"  
  
"Don't 'Kaze' me, Cloud Strife! You hate me because I'm like him, but I hate myself more for still loving him! He's my god damn father. I love him, but I hate him at the same time. Ever fiber of his fucking being…I want to rip him apart slowly, but…I couldn't do it. Because…I still have a heart. I'm his daughter. His princess…the Princess of Darkness."  
  
Cloud threw his arms in the air dramatically, "You are not the 'Princess of Darkness', Kaze!"  
  
The young woman rolled her ice blue eyes, "Oh, then what should I call myself? Santa's fucking helper? I sure as hell ain't innocent and pure!"  
  
"If you don't stop with this depression shit I'm going to give you a god damn reason to be fucking depressed!"  
  
Kaze narrowed her eyes and stood up quickly, "I'm not being depressed, Cloud! It's the truth! _THINK ABOUT IT FOR A FUCKING MINUTE_!"  
  
"What's there to think about? Sure, you're the daughter of Ansem, the craziest man in the world, the leader of the dark army, and not to mention a dead man. Big fucking deal! But…I still don't understand how you attained your dark powers. He wasn't evil when he and our mother…" Cloud shuddered involuntarily, "you know. Did _that_."  
  
"The vertical limbo?"  
  
"…Nice way of putting it, Kaze."  
  
"But to answer your question," Kaze clinched her eyes together tightly, but the tears fell anyway. "It's true he wasn't evil when he and mother made love, so, in turn, I didn't receive his dark powers. But in order to pass his powers onto me, he had to perform a certain…task in order for it to happen."  
  
Cloud stepped back, eyes wide and full of surprise, "You don't mean he--?"  
  
Kaze raised her hand, stopping him before he could say it, "Yes. He wanted to make sure the darkness ran in the family, so he made sure I was his heir. And now…he has Laiktu. Who knows what he could be doing to him."  
  
"Laiktu," Cloud pondered the name for a moment, "Your son?"  
  
"Yes," Kaze smiled a little and crossed her arms over her chest. "He's part of the reason why I stay in the light."  
  
"Who or what is the other part?" Cloud asked.  
  
Before Kaze could utter the man's name, a sudden feeling of dread washed over her body. She took a step back, her ice blue eyes widened in horror. A KI she hadn't felt in years shot through her body like liquid fire. She shook her head violently.  
  
"No…it can't be…"  
  
Cloud watched Kaze's frantic face and raised an eyebrow at his sibling's sudden turn of nature before he too felt the power. He turned around and gasped. A portal formed before the two and out stepped the man in question, and beside him was Sephiroth.  
  
"Well, well, well," The man chuckled cruelly, his amber orange eyes staring somewhat loving at the woman in front of him, "Hello, my darling princess."  
  
And all Kaze could do was stare.  
  
-  
  
Laiktu landed on the ground roughly. He turned around ready to give whoever threw him a lashing when Kioko landed on him, her full weight crashing down on his small body. Riku and Sora stepped in shortly after, not being treated _as _roughly as the two children were. Their chains had been _kindly_ taken off and were free to move their arms and legs.  
  
The soldiers sneered and slammed the cell door harshly. Laiktu pushed Kioko off and ran towards the door, grabbing the bars.   
  
"Hey you! Yeah, I'm talking to you! Let me the fuck outta here right this GOD DAMN MINUTE!" Laiktu's screamed filled the dungeon as the retreating soldiers waved by to the child.  
  
Kioko huffed, "It's no use, Laiktu."  
  
The platinum haired boy turned around and stared at his childhood friend, "We can't give up, Kioko."  
  
"We'll die here," Kioko whispered shyly. Tears spilled down her cheeks as her anger and sorrow over took her body. "I don't want to die here! I want to go back home with mom and Aunt Kaze! I want to go and play with Kaori and Haru again! I don't WANNA DIE HERE!"  
  
Sora and Riku stared at the little girl's confession. The truth had been revealed. She _was_ Kairi's daughter. Her shining blue eyes, her facial structure, it was the same as Kairi's. Sora raised a hand to say something, but Laiktu stopped him.  
  
"I know it's hard to believe, Kioko, but we're not going to die here," Laiktu grabbed Kioko's shoulders and shook her roughly, looking her in the eye. "Mom and Aunt Kairi won't let us die here. They'll come to rescue us, I promise. Don't give up hope."  
  
Kioko sniffed, "And if they don't?"  
  
Laiktu bit his bottom lip and looked around the room until his eyes rested on Sora and Riku, the man that was suppose to be his father. His aquamarine eyes narrowed harshly before he spoke to Kioko.  
  
"I guess we'll have no choice but to rely on those two."  
  
Sora smiled and knelt down beside the two children, "Your name's Kioko, right?"  
  
The little girl nodded and sniffed again, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her shirt.  
  
"I'm Sora," The brunette stuck out his hand, offering it to Kioko.  
  
Kioko reluctantly took his hand, giving it a small squeeze. She smiled up at him as her eyes shined full of light, "Nice to meet you."  
  
"Since that's settled," Riku pushed off the wall he was leaning on and stared down at his three 'cell mates', "We need to find a way out of here."  
  
Sora sighed, "Not this again."  
  
Laiktu looked up at the older man. True, the resemblance between the two was uncanny. Not to mention the quick temper the man had, but Laiktu absolutely didn't believe that Riku was his father. Of course, his mother was always fighting with Kairi about two men: Riku and Sora. Laiktu calmly looked between Kioko and Sora and realization finally dawned on him. If Riku was his "father", then Sora must have been…  
  
"Wh-what's that?!" Kioko's panicky voice sounded throughout the cell. She rose a shaky hand and pointed to the center of the room.  
  
There, forming slowly was an inky black ball, taking on the form of an orb. Laiktu and Sora stood up quickly, watching with interest. Kioko clutched onto Laiktu's midsection and felt somewhat relieved when he scooted her body closer to him. Riku raised one of his platinum eyebrows as the black orb took shape and blinked once before an image popped up.  
  
Riku's eyes widened in horror and shock when he saw the one person he had given his heart to.  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note**: Oh God, you guys. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to take this long to update! gets down on knees Don't hurt me. But I made it up to you with a nice, long chapter. I know I said at the beginning I would have chapter 11 up in a week, but don't count on that. I don't know when the next time is that I'll be able to sit down and write. sigh My life sucks. And as for this chapter, it sucked too. Since I didn't have Silver with me, there's probably some misspelled words and bad sentences and stuff. Sorry for the lack of "Kairi attention" in this chapter. I had planned on giving her a place, but I couldn't find a way or the time. Next chapter though, I promise.  
  
§§  
  
Reviewer's Corner  
  
_Anime-Master 7_: Angsty? How is it angsty? You haven't seen angsty yet. Thanks for the review!  
  
_lighthope_: And now there's an even deeper look into the two siblings. Hehe. Yeah, Riku finds out, but Laiktu isn't too happy with the news, as you can see. And you're right, bonding won't happen until later. _Way_ later.  
  
_VixettaremIx_: Laiktu had a few choice words for Riku, but it gets a lot more…tense when Laiktu finds Riku left Kaze. He ain't too happy with that. Sora and Kioko's reaction may not be as bad, but no cursing one another, I'll tell ya that. Yeah, Kaze's little revelation in the last chapter and in this one. Hope you like it. Kaze's more complex than everyone thinks. She has an inferiority complex, and it should be obvious. Yeah, Ansem explains _his_ story later, but Kaze just told the outline. It's sad.  
  
_BulmaMonster_: Glad you liked the last chappie. This story isn't that great, but it's getting there. And so far, I like your alternate ending! It's great and you keep writing too!  
  
_fyreblazen_: Well, that's nice. "Right…" to you too. I hope you liked the fic. Not the best, but it's getting there.  
  
_Linear_: I love writing the scenes with Laiktu, Sora, Riku, Kioko, and Ansem. It's interesting. Makes me smile and stuff. Glad you like the last chapter and I hope you like this one better. Your words are nice. I'll be waiting for you reviews.  
  
_Sorafan/dark monkey_: Kioko didn't find out, but Laiktu figured it out like that. snaps finger Your change of name is…interesting. I like using curse words. It's nice. I update, and I hope you like this chapter.  
  
_Kintora_: Yeah, it took me a while to update, but I did! Sorry. I hope no one forgets about this little…piece…of…shit… anyhow, Sora's face, as Kioko's, will be priceless when they finally learn the truth. Oh, and I appreciate the email you sent it. It got me off my butt and back writing again. Everyone take her lead and when I haven't updated in a while, harass me with an email.  
  
_Harry2_: You're right. Kaze isn't in good control of her powers, but she _seems_ to have a handle on them. What do you think?  
  
_Inuyashalvr9/__Sora'aAma9_: I'm glad you're so excited about the fic. And your new penname is nice. I like it. Sorry it took me so long to update, and you over exaggerate on this story being the best you've ever read. At least I think you are. .   
  
_Harry2_: They'll eventually work it out. Trust me. Laiktu will finally realize his father isn't as bad as he may seem.   
  
_Junebuggy7_: I'm writing as fast as my fingers can type. lol.   
  
§§  
  
_Next Chapter_: Kairi finds out from his royal majesty what actually happened to Riku and Sora (I promise this time). Meanwhile, Ansem and Sephiroth provoke the already grief stricken Kaze and Cloud while, unbeknownst to them, Riku, Sora, Laiktu, and Kioko are watching and listening in secretly.  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	11. An Odd Family Reunion

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter 11: An Odd Family Reunion  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Sora/Riku  
  
**Author's Note**: I hope everyone enjoyed chapter ten. This chapter may contain some weird ass themes, so don't be freaked out. With that out the way, on to chapter 11! Oh, and thanks to BulmaMonster for mentioning this, but in the last chapter, Riku was in the dungeon without his blindfold and could see the orb. Reason being is because the dungeon hardly has any light in it, not to mention his eyesight has improved for the most part, but really bright lights still hurt.  
  
¤-¤  
  
While Kaze and Cloud were having their little "family bonding" time, elsewhere in Hollow Bastion, a certain red head was about to get the answers she was looking for.  
  
"Well, let me start from the beginning…"  
  
Mickey's somber, serious tone reached Kairi's ears. She watched the king sigh heavily before looking up at her.  
  
"It was about…three years ago. Riku and Sora had finally defeated the forces of darkness, with the help of everyone here, of course. We celebrated with a huge party, right here at Hollow Bastion. Of course, the two didn't want to stay. Sora wanted to get back to you as quickly as possible. After everyone said their good-byes, Sora and Riku stood ready to call on the power of the two keyblade's to send them home, but we were attacked."  
  
Yuffie frowned at the memories of the past. She remembered both Riku and Sora being in such a rush to get back to their home, Destiny Island. But as soon as the Heartless had attacked, both keybearers' hopes had been shattered and thrown into the wind.  
  
Kairi stared at the mouse, vexed. Her emotions were bottled up in her throat, and she would not voice her opinion. Not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't trust her voice. She felt that at any moment, a cry would emit from her throat. She nodded at Mickey, saying that he could continue.  
  
Mickey cleared his throat before continuing, "We hadn't expected an attack, much less, an attack from the Heartless. It was all so sudden that Riku and Sora's concentration was knocked off. We told them several times to just leave and return home, but they wouldn't listen. They insisted on helping us fight them. As soon as one ship of Heartless was destroyed, three more returned in its place. It was an all out war."  
  
Aerith, sensing King Mickey's discomfort, took over for him, "Everyone fought hard, but the Heartless just kept coming. We were all mentally, and physically exhausted by the time the mother ship arrived. And in the end, Riku and Sora decided that they wanted to protect us."  
  
Leon's deep voice sounded after Aerith's, "Just as the last wave hit, Riku and Sora took off in the Gummi Ship at full speed. Cloud and I didn't have time to stop them. They blasted off, right into the center of the Heartless."  
  
The whole world around Kairi seemed to slow down and stop momentarily. Sora and Riku had sacrificed themselves to the Heartless in order to save everyone else in this world and the next. She buried her face in her hands and her shoulders shook in light tremors.  
  
"Oh God…it's not true," Kairi whispered. Her head shot up, tears streaming down her face. "Tell me it's not true! Riku and Sora…they can't be…not when they each have a child waiting…"  
  
Before anyone, particularly Yuffie could utter a single 'huh' or 'what', Aerith jumped straight up out of her chair; her emerald green eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at Leon, Yuffie, and Kairi.  
  
"Someone's in the castle," Aerith spoke softly. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. "In the Dark Depths. Cloud and Kaze are there too. I can sense Sephiroth's nasty KI, but I can't quite make out who the--oh god…"  
  
"What?" Yuffie screamed. "Who is it?!"  
  
Aerith looked deathly pale the moment she opened her mouth, "Ansem."  
  
It didn't take two seconds for Kairi's tears to dry up. She jumped off the hospital bed and looked at Aerith, "You said the Dark Depths, right?"  
  
Aerith nodded, "Yeah, but Kairi. You can't--"  
  
"Don't you _DARE_ tell me what I can and cannot do," Kairi, while still looking at the others, grabbed the knob and opened the door. Aerith's mouth froze midway to object, but Kairi's slick comment halted her. "You can come along with me if you wish, but someone needs to stay and protect his majesty."  
  
Yuffie blew a long whistle and jammed her hands in the pockets of her jumper. Leon, with a smug expression, folded his arms across his chest and looked at Kairi defiantly. He didn't dare want to stop Kairi if she was so determined to be the tragic hero.  
  
Aerith seemed to be the only one to protest, but she didn't make her opinion heard. She gave an inquiring look to King Mickey, who simply frowned and nodded. Aerith looked back to Kairi, tight lipped.  
  
When Kairi sensed that no one would get in her way, seeing as though they made no move to stop her, she rushed out the door quickly.  
  
"Oh well, it's her neck!" Yuffie said brightly as though the whole thing was some kind of gag.  
  
Leon, after a moment's thought, said, "Let's go."  
  
"Go?" Yuffie said, eyes wide. "Go where?"  
  
"Follow Kairi, you ignoramus. Now."  
  
"B-But," Yuffie spluttered. "Why should we get in the way?"  
  
"To make sure," King Mickey spoke up, "that our dear princess does not end up in a casket anytime soon."  
  
Leon raised an eyebrow to Yuffie, who abhorred the idea of tagging behind Kairi like a little Labrador.  
  
"Oh…fine," Yuffie huffed, puffing up her face so as to make her resemble a little child. Leon had a smug, satisfied smile on his face. He glanced next at Aerith, whose face was lined with apprehension. She weighed the thought of having Kairi's body being shoved into the soil, or to face Cloud again.  
  
"You guys go," she said. "I'll stay here with the king. It's best if I do so," When they gave her funny looks, she added. "Go, you might lose her!"  
  
Only minutes after Kairi's foot stepped out of the door, Leon bolted after the red head, and Yuffie followed shortly, almost knocking over a table on her way out. Aerith stayed with King Mickey as negotiated. It was better than getting in the way of everyone else. Especially Cloud.  
  
-  
  
"You can't even greet your own father?" The man sneered, enjoying his daughter pale in comparison. Kaze stood, open mouthed, at the man she used to know: Her father, Ansem.  
  
Cloud was quick to react, drawing his Buster Sword out, but the cold tip of a long, slim blade at his throat stopped him.  
  
"Freeze, Strife, or I'll cut your Adam's Apple up like an egg," he breathed, getting a kick out of controlling Cloud for once.  
  
Cloud glowered at the man, resentment lining his face, but did not retaliate.  
  
"Touch her and you are dead, bastard!" he yelled to Ansem, who crept closer to Kaze.  
  
"You have no power here, Strife," Ansem said with a wicked smile. "_I DO_."  
  
-  
  
Kairi dashed and occasionally stumbled her way to the Dark Depths, Leon and a reluctant Yuffie on her tails.  
  
Leon stopped suddenly, having a blissfully oblivious Yuffie slam into him hard from behind. He fell over, attracting the attention of Kairi, who also was standing around with a dumbstruck look on her face. Usually the portal would be there for anyone's disposal, but it refused to show up.  
  
Leon bucked Yuffie off of him, causing her to flatten her face on the gravel.  
  
"So much for going incognito," her muffled voice said.  
  
"I know what you're trying to do!" Kairi yelled, backing up. "But it's not going to work!"  
  
"Kairi, unless you want to end up breaking something you already have less of now, don't do anything drastic," Leon warned, getting to his feet and approaching Kairi slowly.  
  
"_BACK OFF_!" Kairi screeched, a keyblade appearing in her hands in a flash of light.  
  
Leon halted in his steps, eyeing the keyblade warily. It wasn't such a good time to be defenseless with someone like Kairi waving a weapon around.  
  
But, instead of attempting to attack Leon, she raised the keyblade in the air and bellowed clearly for all to hear, "_PORTAL OPEN_!"  
  
A round, small swirling portal appeared at Kairi's waistline. It was far too constricting for Leon; Yuffie could probably force her way in, but Kairi's narrow body could fit exactly. Without pretense, she squeezed herself in. With a pop, the portal vanished.  
  
Leon glared at Yuffie who unglued her lips from the pavement.  
  
"Thanks genius," he muttered. "She's gone."  
  
"What are we going to do now?"  
  
"Unless there is a flight conveniently in the next two minutes into the Dark Depths, we aren't going anywhere," Leon said, dripping with sarcasm.  
  
-  
  
Kaze didn't even remotely flinch, as he was inches from her. Tentatively, he reached out a hand to brush her coarse hair out of her eyes. Oddly enough, she felt almost as though she was longing his touch, wanting him to embrace her as he used to. But her other sensible side knew better, and slapped his hand away after letting it linger too long.  
  
Hissing, he drew away his hand, looking into the face of his frightening livid daughter. Cloud was still under the restraint of Sephiroth, who was eyeing Kaze with an almost salacious look to his eye.  
  
"What's the matter, you don't want me to touch you? I am your father after all."  
  
"Thanks for the fucking reality check, you fucking abhorrent little prick!"  
  
Unexpected out of Ansem, he smacked her firmly with his outstretched hand. Kaze, who was numb to his slap, only hung her head limp to the other side.  
  
"Watch your language, little one. You don't want to cross me, now do you?"  
  
Cloud balled his fist up and attempted to charge for Ansem, but Sephiroth roughly shoved him back, causing him to fall to the ground, and placed his sword tip to where Cloud's legs made a V.  
  
Cloud looked wide-eyed at where Sephiroth held the sword.  
  
"Try something now, and you'll be castrated here and now," he spat.  
  
"Bastard, 'castrate' my nuts!" Cloud growled.  
  
"With pleasure," Sephiroth said smoothly.  
  
Kaze cracked her head into place and scowled at her father, "Don't do anything Cloud, I got it."  
  
"Good girl, it's wise of you not to cause four people to die tonight, right?"  
  
Kaze defiantly spat in his face. Her mucus left a slimy trail down the bridge of Ansem's nose. Before he could requite her attack, a flash of light, and Kairi's tumbling figure, showed up unexpectedly.  
  
She rolled over Sephiroth's feet, who momentarily moved the sword away from Cloud's genitals. Glaring at her reproachfully, he placed the sword tip to her cheek and twisted it slightly.  
  
Kairi winced, and yelled out, "I'll kill you, you bastard!"  
  
Ansem drawled, "How touching. One more death that you'll be responsible for, Kaze."  
  
"Eat me!" She threw out strongly.  
  
"I thought I did," he said lightly, making Kaze ashen with fury.  
  
Cloud, watching Sephiroth's prying eyes on Kairi, took the opportunity to swing his foot out and kick Sephiroth in his balls. Sephiroth groaned, releasing Kairi from his assault on her cheek, and doubled over in pain.  
  
"Ha, my nuts are still in tact, you silver-haired fuck!" Cloud bellowed in his ear. He slid to Kairi's side and stretched out his hand.  
  
"Eat mine," Sephiroth managed to gasp out.  
  
"Grow some!" he threw back, helping Kairi to her feet. A small, bleeding sore was protruding from her cheek.  
  
"Enough with all of this eating nonsense," Ansem said, feigning disgust. "We have plenty of time to focus on that later," he added with a look to Kaze. Kaze growled and clutched her fists tightly.  
  
"Ansem, you're going to pay for this!" Kairi said powerfully. He scoffed and turned his nose up to Kairi.  
  
"A scrawny little thing like you will bring me to _my_ knees? I don't bend for women, they bend for me."  
  
"Stop acting more perverted than you already are you fucking coward!" Kaze bit out.  
  
"Too late," Cloud said with disdain.  
  
"You know, this doesn't feel… right," Ansem said, clicking his tongue. "We need to make this a real get-together. Get to your feet you pathetic worm," he said cruelly to Sephiroth. He rose, still clutching his sac.  
  
"Do it now," he said.  
  
Panting slightly, Sephiroth rose a hand to summon a portal and fled out of sight.  
  
"I wonder how long he'll fare with one nut," Cloud said with some satisfaction.  
  
"Quiet, Strife," Ansem said. "You have plenty of time to run that foul mouth of yours. At least wait until our _guests_ arrive."  
  
-  
  
"Kioko, will you quit howling!" Laiktu yelled as Kioko's cries were wearing on his ears and nerves.  
  
Sora and Riku, meanwhile, were cowering in the back, their hands over their ears.  
  
"Kid!" Riku said, obviously meaning Laiktu. "Shut her up!"  
  
"My name's not _KID_!" Laiktu yelled over Kioko's wails. Snapping at last, he smacked Kioko over the head. Kioko squeaked loudly and closed her mouth at last.  
  
"Thank you," Riku muttered.  
  
"I didn't do it for you, I did it for the sake of hearing out of both of my ears!"  
  
Sora looked between the two with a disapproving expression on his face. For a father and son, the love they were supposed to share was alarmingly absent.  
  
"Listen you--" Riku began, but a blinding light stopped him from continuing. Shielding his eyes Riku plastered himself up on the wall.

Sora, Kioko, and Laiktu all closed their eyes until the bright flash disappeared. The light, however, was replaced with a cold, unwelcome voice.  
  
"Don't move!"  
  
Before anyone could question the orders, or as to who gave them, the voice muttered a spell, and the four of them slumped down to the ground, apparently sleep. Apparently sleep-- with the absence of their souls. Four separate whips of light all zoomed towards the slouching figure of Sephiroth, who trapped them within a glass case. And with that, he vanished again inside a portal.  
  
-  
  
"We didn't get her," Leon sighed loudly.  
  
"What happened?" Aerith asked to a sulky Leon.  
  
"Thanks to Ms. Train Wreck slamming into me," he said with a glare at Yuffie, who weakly chuckled, "We lost her to a portal."  
  
"Well, isn't the portal to the Dark Depths still there?" Aerith asked.  
  
"Sealed up for some reason, can't get in," Leon said bitterly. "That keyblade saved her ass at the last moment, because she surely wouldn't have taken off if I had my Gunblade."  
  
Yuffie uttered what sounded like a "Yeah, right." Leon glared at her witheringly.  
  
"This is bad," Aerith said in a low voice. "This really is bad. What are we going to do, your majesty?"  
  
"I…don't know," King Mickey said in a voice that sounded defeated. "I don't know."  
  
-  
  
"Master," Sephiroth said wheezing as he reappeared in the Dark Depths, still clutching his ball sack, "I have them."  
  
It was little movement while Sephiroth was gone, fetching something for his "master." As to what was beyond Kaze, but she knew it wasn't going to be good. Cloud and Kairi stood anxiously in their spots, watching on.  
  
"Ah," Ansem said, glowing with pleasure. "Release them."  
  
"Release what?" Kaze asked.  
  
"You will find out, sweetheart," he said to Kaze, simpering, making her wince.  
  
Sephiroth opened a glass case he was carrying with his other free hand with what appeared to be balls of light. The mass of light separated, however, into four individual wisps of light as soon as they were freed. Kaze looked in horror as the distorted images began to come into focus.  
  
"Mom?" Laiktu asked, his voice hauntingly distant.  
  
"Laiktu?" Kaze said, and tried to rush to his side, but Ansem held her back. She wriggled out of his grip.  
  
Laiktu wasn't the only one who caught Kaze's eye: Riku, too stunned and confused to speak at first, stood in the back. Aquamarine and ice blue gazed into one another.  
  
"K-Kaze?" he stuttered. His eyes weren't playing tricks on him, at least he hoped not. Kaze's beautiful goddess-like form was standing a couple of feet in front of him. He wanted to go to her and take her in his arms, but would not. He knew she didn't care, and that hurt worse than any torture.  
  
"Riku?" Kaze whispered uncertainly. What she was facing was too horrifying to bear. She had not expected to see Riku so soon. He looked as good as the night she last saw him. His hair was probably a couple of inches longer, but his eyes – oh those eyes – they shown brightly.   
  
Kairi, meanwhile, was struggling from Cloud's tight grip, to get to the unclear image of Kioko, who was crying her mother's name mournfully.  
  
"_MOMMY_!"  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Kairi said, weakly trying to fight off Cloud's tight grip. "_LET ME GO_!"  
  
"Kairi!" Sora said, his voice also sounding from far away. She was beautiful, an angel in his eyes. Her hair was a sheen cape of red cascading behind her. Those soft blue eyes sparkling with unshed tears. He wanted so badly to take her right then and there, but decided that being perverted was his forte.  
  
"_SORA_!" Kairi cried after staring into the eyes of the man who has captured her heart all of these years. By the Gods, he was as sexy as ever - that shaggy brown hair and glowing sapphire eyes. His body had grown from a teenager to a man. His muscles were more defined and the red head wonder if anything else had grown along with his body. Before Kairi's perverted mind could take a step further, a scream interrupted her thoughts.  
  
"_WHAT DID YOU DO_?" Kaze yelled at her father.  
  
"Thanks to my faithful servant, Sephiroth," Ansem began in a smug voice, "This whole little reunion was made possible."  
  
"You see, this is your little family. Their sprits, that is, snatched from their bodies, once again thanks to Sephiroth. They can return to their bodies, but do anything out of line, they shall never sleep in their skin again."  
  
Kairi resisted escaping and looked at her daughter and lover in tears. Kaze's grip on her fist became tighter.  
  
"That's better," Ansem said, satisfied. Unexpectedly, he approached his and planted a wet, lengthy kiss onto her cheek.  
  
"_GET THE FUCK OFF OF HER_!" Riku yelled, his oddly remote voice echoing through the Dark Depths.  
  
Ansem detached his lips from Kaze's cheek. She didn't hit him out of the sheer safe return of her son's soul back in its body.  
  
"I've had her longer than you," he whispered to Riku. "Don't tell me what I can and cannot do. You'll be surprised at what I've done."  
  
"_SHUT UP_!" Kaze screeched, approaching Ansem with a shaking fist. "You even _BREATHE_ a word of what you did--"  
  
"Ah, ah, ah," Ansem said, shaking a finger. "Remember what happens when you get too unruly." He pointed to Laiktu, a beam of purple light emitting from his finger. In an instant, Laiktu cried out and doubled over as it became harder and harder to see him clearly.  
  
"_LAIKTU_!" Kaze cried. "_STOP WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU ARE DOING TO HIM_!"  
  
"_ANSEM, KNOCK IT OFF_!" Riku bellowed.  
  
"Oh that?" Ansem said lightly, still holding his finger into place. "That's a repercussion of what happens when you cut up. I keep this up for another good minute or so, and his soul will go to oblivion."  
  
"_STOP IT, STOP IT_!" Kaze screamed over and over again as her son continued to scream.  
  
"_LAIKTU_!" Kioko wailed.  
  
"Promise to behave?" Ansem asked a livid Kaze.  
  
"Yes," she said through clenched teeth. "Now let him _GO_!"  
  
"Kaze, your KI," Kairi whispered fearfully as Kaze began to tremble and glow black. "Watch it…"  
  
Ansem, smiling, released Laiktu from the torture of what lied in his finger. Laiktu panted and slumped to the ground.  
  
"_WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME_?!" Laiktu said sharply.  
  
"Watch it kid, or you'll get more," Ansem said coldly.  
  
"If this is supposed to be a family reunion, this is some fucked up gathering!" Cloud spat out, holding a trembling Kairi in his arms.

"Oh, but don't you see, Cloud? This is one big, _happy_," he put major stress on happy as everyone including Cloud was giving him dirty looks, "_family_. I mean, you have Kaze, Riku, and her foul mouthed child," he said, indicating the image of Laiktu getting to his feet.  
  
"Fuck you buddy," Laiktu said.  
  
"And then you have Kairi, Kioko…and let's see…oh yes! _Sora_."  
  
The shocking news hit Kioko like a ton of bricks. She rose her index finger and pointed at Kairi, Sora, and herself. She looked around confusingly for a minute for someone to say something, but all she got was a wicked laughter from Ansem and Sephiroth, a stunning look from Sora, Kairi's pleading eyes, Kaze and Riku's ice cold gaze, and Laiktu's mixed expression of pain and confusion that usually read 'I don't know what the fuck he's talking about, but I'm in some hella pain'.  
  
"He's…my daddy?" Kioko said, clearly shocked at this tidbit of news.  
  
Sora didn't look completely astonished. He had, more or less, got all of the information from Ansem not too long ago. He knew that Kioko was Kairi's daughter, but realization didn't dawn on him that she was _his _daughter as well. But he had no doubts this was too much for Kioko to handle.  
  
"Of course child," Ansem said in a horribly sweet voice, creeping closer to Kioko. "He looks just like…_you_," he said as his hand went straight through Kioko's chin. She shuddered and began to weep.  
  
"Well, it was no surprise!" Kairi bit out, but Sora's solemn face and Riku's flabbergasted own told her otherwise. "I-I mean the majority…"  
  
"I…didn't…know," Sora said softly. "Honest, I didn't Kairi, I only found out hours ago."  
  
"You're the only one I've slept with, you lazy bum!" she cried. "How could you even think she belonged to someone else?!"  
  
"I…I don't know," Sora said, very upset. He had doubted that Kairi was still faithful to him. He tried to deny that he wasn't of any relation to Kioko. But he couldn't any longer.  
  
"Kioko, don't cry," he said softly. What would have taken Kioko hours to settle down happened in a second. Obviously, she trusted Sora enough to obey him.  
  
Riku's gaze went from between Kaze and Ansem, searching for some answers. His curiosity got the best of him, "What I still don't understand is how you know so much about Kaze!" He screamed at the man.   
  
"Well, my unconfirmed son-in-law," Ansem began with a wicked smile. "I'm her father."  
  
The whole tranquil state of the Dark Depths erupted with yells.  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note**: Well, a nice and long chapter for you guys! I hope everyone enjoyed chapter 11! THANK YOU, SILVER! She came back! I thought she had disappeared for a long time, but I called her and she came online and helped me. She's my sister/lawyer/attorney/beta. HEHEHE! I love my sis! Now, I don't know when chapter 12 will be up, but it will be up soon, I hope. gets back to watching her Gundam Wing DVDs  
  
§§  
  
_Harry2_: No, no kamehameha's in this fic. lol. But there will be some nice KI battles later on.   
  
_VixettaremIx_: Kaze's story gets better in the next chapter, believe me. I'm glad you've enjoyed this fic! I hope you continue to enjoy it. Yeah, Sora kinda said the wrong words there. Sorry for the Sephiroth abuse in this chappie. blushes It's just so much fun to pick on him. Tee hee.  
  
_Anime-Master7_: Angst isn't the right word to use once I get near the end of the fic.  
  
_Kintora_: Counting on me may not be a good idea. Laiktu's smart. He's not an idiot who uses foul language. He's a genius who uses _colorful_ language. Hehe. The father/daughter scene wasn't as good as I had wanted it to be, I hope it was okay. Yeah, harassing emails usually get me up and going. Thanks for it, by the way!  
  
_AngelJade_: I will keep giving you guys more if you guys keep reviewing. Thanks for the support, I need it.  
  
_Darkmonkey/Sora'sAma9_: You changed your penname too much, youngin. Lol. I'm ecstatic to know that you're happy I updated. You can write as well as you want to write. "You're your own worst critic." That's my writing modo.  
  
_AeRiSdOnO_: I updated! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as you did the last one.   
  
_classengurl_: You were waiting for the faithful reunion, huh? Everyone was waiting for that one. Like I've said several times before hand, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll write more if you guys keep reviewing.  
  
_kazeofmemory_: My writing style isn't that good, is it?  
  
§§  
  
_Next Chapter_: Ansem makes a deal with Kaze and Kairi that may very well endanger the future of everyone the know and love. Will they accept or deny Ansem's proposal. Stay tuned!


	12. The Fun Has Only Begun

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter 12: The Fun Has Only Begun  
  
**Pairings:** Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Sora/Riku  
  
**Author's Note**: Sorry for the oh so long wait as usual! grins But school will be ending soon and I have a lot of shit to do until then so…enough with my ramblings. Here's chappie 12!!  
  
¤-¤  
  
"Well, my unconfirmed son-in-law," Ansem began with a wicked smile. "I'm her father."  
  
The whole tranquil state of the Dark Depths erupted with yells.  
  
"You're her _WHAT_?!" Riku bellowed.  
  
"No way," Laiktu said, "No fucking way I'm claiming _you_ as my grandfather!"  
  
Sora, who had tried to remain calm, just couldn't find the words to speak. He, unlike Riku, didn't take too well to yelling and fighting like others.  
  
Ansem rolled his eyes, "You're all a bunch of idiots. I've already explained this to your before. I guess short term memories run in your family."  
  
Kairi, on the other hand, was more shocked than anyone was. She glanced at Kaze, whose facial expression hadn't changed, "Why…didn't you tell me, Kaze? I thought we were friends!"  
  
"If I had told you," Kaze said solemnly, "_any_ of you, would you have honestly remained by my side? Your hatred for Ansem was so great, that I knew if I uttered a word of our relation, then all of you would've up and left."  
  
Kairi gasped, "You don't know that! You should believe in your friends and--"  
  
"Kairi," The older woman breathed, "I haven't believed in anyone for almost twelve years. I haven't been given a reason to believe in anything for almost twelve years. So, I _believe_ it would be in your best interest to shut up now before I rip your vocal cords to shreds."  
  
Laiktu, forgetting Ansem's little outburst, smiled, "Now _this_ feels like home."  
  
Ansem smirked, "Too bad it won't last for long, grandson."  
  
"Don't fucking call me that!" Laiktu screamed, snapping at Ansem. "I don't consider you part of my family, mother fucker!"  
  
Ansem laughed cruelly, looking at Laiktu then back at Kaze, "I didn't fuck my mother…"  
  
Laiktu, although gifted with the art of swearing, did not fully comprehend Ansem's indirect statement. His meaning of "mother fucker" and Ansem's presumed meaning of the word had to be very different.  
  
It was expected out of someone of Laiktu's age not to understand Ansem's twisted meaning, but Kaze on the other hand fully comprehended what he was leading on to. Kaze's eyes widened and, before she could stop him, Ansem finished his sentence, "I fucked my daughter."  
  
Not one sound was uttered at that moment.  
  
-  
  
Yuffie paced around the room quietly muttering to herself about the current situation while everyone else had chose to sit in their seats. Everyone was evidently worried, but it was a fine line between being concerned and being plain annoying, which Yuffie was doing a good job of. Leon, who had had about enough of the girl's actions, finally spoke up.  
  
"Yuffie, sit down and be still, if you are capable of such a thing. You're annoying the piss out of me."  
  
"Well excuse me Mister Annoyed!" Yuffie said, pulling her hands from her mouth. "I can't help it if I'm worried! I mean, no one knows what's going on in there! Kairi, Cloud, and Kaze could all be dead!"  
  
Aerith smiled, "No, they're not."  
  
Yuffie snorted, "Okay Miss Know-it-all, share with us your 'infinite' knowledge."  
  
Leon, King Mickey, and Yuffie had her full attention.  
  
"Simple," The ancient started, "I believe in them. I believe in Kaze, Kairi, and Cloud. I believe that they won't die; that they will prevail."  
  
"Wisely spoken, Aerith," King Mickey said approvingly, nodding his head at Aerith. Aerith glowed, having being appraised by her wisdom.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Yuffie said as though she had not heard one thing Aerith said. "What if she's wrong, is all?"  
  
"You've just got to believe," King Mickey said. "Always believe, even if it seems impossible, think the possible."  
  
"I don't think like that," Leon spoke up, looking at King Mickey with beady eyes. "Call me pessimistic if you will. If anything a pessimistic person hates most is an pessimistic person who is masking their own pessimism by pretending to be optimistic."  
  
"For what reason do you have to be pessimistic?" Aerith inquired.  
  
"Because all optimistic means is to have blind faith in things that don't work out. Why fake that you believe you can fly, or that the world will become a peaceful place when you can take the negative route and actually stay inside the boundaries of reality?"  
  
"You shouldn't think like that," Aerith said quietly.  
  
"Well, I do," Leon said bluntly, folding his hands almost defiantly over his chest. "And nobody can tell me otherwise."  
  
Aerith pressed her lips together. King Mickey grew oddly still. Yuffie bit on her bottom lip and paced the room again.  
  
It wasn't the fact that Leon was so negative, it was the fact that they all felt it is why the room became mute.  
  
-  
  
Kaze could have ripped his nut-sack in half, and she was inclined to do so as her hands itched to her sides. She had never, never told anybody what Ansem did to her, not even Cloud! And to have that destructive secret revealed to her kid and her lover (well…sort of) was nothing short of horrifying.  
  
Riku's eyes were blazing on her skin. The whole heat to the room became oddly intensified. Everyone was scrutinizing her, and it was ticking the hell out of her unbelievingly.  
  
"How," Kaze said, voice cracked with rage, "how dare you tell everyone your disgusting act with pride?"  
  
"Easily," Ansem said silkily. "Because I'm a prideful man."  
  
"You," Kaze said, charging for him like a bull on the rampage. Ansem wagged a finger at her and pointed to Laiktu. Halting in her tracks, but paling every second due to rage, she glowered at him.  
  
"Kaze," Riku's soft voice came to her. "Why… why didn't you tell me?" He was most stung that she never breathed a word of this to him, when they were supposed to be lovers, when they had a kid together, when he's confided all of his secrets to her.  
  
"The same reason I never told anyone," Kaze said through gritted teeth. "Because it's my business!"  
  
"I would have understood!" he cried indignantly.  Kaze may not have been social friendly, but Riku thought he was a person worthy of trusting.  He wouldn't have laughed in her face or anything of that manner.  He would be quite shocked for a while, but would still stay by her side.  
  
"Like you would have understood that Ansem, the one person that you completely hate, was my father, and that he enjoyed fucking me before you, my beloved?" Kaze said cruelly.  
  
Riku soundlessly opened and closed his mouth, his face one of utter surprise. When said with that kind of attitude, it sounded worse than the crime itself. Riku didn't take kindly to her tone, but understood she was upset. He said nothing further.  
  
Kairi looked at Kaze, then back to the ground again, longing to say something but questioned her safety. She knew how Kaze hated for her business to be thrown in the air, and tended to be rather violent at times like this. She didn't want to send Kaze to the breaking point.  
  
"Kaze," she began softly, fishing around for the right words to say. "Is this what happened, what you wrote in your diary?"  
  
Revealing very little information wouldn't cause her that much amount of pain would it?  
  
Kaze glared at Kairi, the power of her eyes boring into Kairi much stronger than her words would. Of all times, Kairi would mention her diary, which she broke into without authorization.  
  
One out of the group had heard enough.  
  
"You sick fucking bastard!" Sora spat, entirely out of character for him to say such a thing. Ansem truly disgusted him, and when all the shit hit the fan, he would make sure he said his peace first. "That's your daughter, for fuck's sake!  If you were feeling horny, fuck a whore out on the street, but not your flesh and blood!"  
  
"I didn't do it because I was horny you buffoon," Ansem stated, his face slackening. He thought Sora to have better sense out of the whole group, but he had not proved his intelligence to him. "I had to, if I wanted my power to wreck continuous havoc on this puny world."  
  
"What are you--" Sora began angrily, but Ansem cut him off abruptly.  
  
"My powers can only be transferred with direct contact with another being. My powers have to actually blend in within a body. And my daughter here helped to demonstrate that. Sex turned out to be a very useful means of getting my powers into her body, and helped to get me off all at once. Although, I have to say, I've had better."  
  
"You!" Riku yelled, his transparent figure charging towards Ansem. He would pay for touching Kaze that way, he would beat him to a bloody pulp if he could manage it. "You fucking sick pervert!"  
  
"Riku!" Kairi yelled warningly to her friend. Ansem would no doubt stop his rampage before it started.  
  
Ansem raised his index finger, "I see that you still haven't learned your lesson, Riku." A small energy bubble appeared on the tip of his digit, and, as soon as Ansem was about to let the blast go, he was flung up against the wall.  
  
Riku stopped his assault, blinking confusingly. One minute, Ansem was ready to fire on his "son" again and the next he was thrown up against the wall. He didn't _know_ how it could've happened that damn fast, but Laiktu and Kioko's gasps got his attention, diverting his eyes away from Ansem.  
  
"Kaze!" Sora shouted, seeing what she did with wide eyes.  
  
_Kaze_…Riku thought. He slowly turned around, and his eyes widened in shock. At that moment, he knew Kaze was Ansem's daughter.  
  
She was standing in the middle of the dark depths clinching her fists so hard, crimson liquid dripped to the floor. Her hair flew behind her, blinking from stark white to pitch black. Her eyes sporadically changing from ice blue to black. Her face was twisted in rage as a brief wind picked up in the room, lightning flashing in front of her.  
  
Cloud, although not wanting to comment, couldn't help but let out a low whistle. He could feel his half-sister's power pulsing through his veins, and, his pride aside, it was scaring the hell out of him. He wrapped an arm around Kairi's waist, and bent down. Once she had reached this far, it wasn't any conning out of it, and he had experienced that first-hand.  
  
"We need to leave."  
  
Kairi nodded in agreement, not once taking her eyes off of her friend. So this was the power she felt after she had lost consciousness. No wonder she had been jerked back into reality. The immense force of her power was so great it was astonishing. She shuddered when Kaze let out a blood curling screaming.  
  
Laiktu watched as his mother, the only person he truly loved, hunched over, screaming like a banshee. The seven-year-old watched his mother clinch her teeth as her self-control slipped from her grasps. Screaming, she threw her head back, inky black eyes wide open. From the corners of her mouth, her canine's started growing immensely. She unclenched her fists as her hands stuck out at her side with her fingers fanned out, as long, sharp black nails grew. Her breathing became erratic as her black-feathered wings ripped through the back of her shirt causing her hair to cascade over her shoulders. A black aura was surrounded her body as she finished transforming.  
  
The sight Laiktu was forced to see almost made him cry. What happened to her? That wasn't his mother…he didn't know _WHAT_ that was.  
  
"Mom?" He called out to her, but she didn't answer. "_MOM!_ What happened to you? Why won't you answer me?" He slowly shuffled towards Kaze.  
  
Kioko gasped, "No! Laiktu don't!" She was frightened with her aunt's sudden transformation. Kioko hardly thought that she would greet Laiktu with open arms in her current state.  
  
But the boy didn't hear her. Not wanting to get any closer, Kioko stood cowering in her spot, letting Laiktu approach his mother. His feet carried him to his mother, and he stared up at her with those big aquamarine eyes. "Momma?"  
  
A sadistic chuckle from behind everyone made everyone turn around, "Foolish boy. She is no longer you pitiful, loving mother. She has transformed. Be lucky, mind you, she didn't use one hundred percent of her power."  
  
Sora snorted at Ansem, "Don't you ever get tired of talking?"  
  
"No," Ansem retorted as he stared at Kaze lovingly. "Beautiful, isn't she? The perfect embodiment of evil. That's why I chose her, you know. She was my princess and I refused to let _anyone_ have her, until…"  
  
Riku saw Ansem's gaze stop on him, "What the fuck are you staring at?"  
  
"You took her away from me," Ansem snapped. "I was the only man in her life after Cloud had left. She was there with me when I controlled the Heartless. But you…she met you in Kingdom Hearts and felt pity for you, a poor boy that lost his sight and best friends all because he wanted power. She took you in and nursed you back to a somewhat good health. I may have been locked away, but I always knew what _my_ Kaze was doing. And the night she fucked you, I was so disgusted. I was even more so when I found out I had a grandson, who looked just like you."  
  
Sora's eyebrows furrowed, surprised at the amount of abhorrence Ansem allowed his voice to take in discussing Riku. Sora never thought Ansem loathed him that strongly. "Is that why you kidnapped us?"  
  
Ansem cackled, "_Someone_ **finally** figures it out. I knew the only way to get to Kaze would be to take what she loved most. Which happened to be those two: Riku and Laiktu." He laughed morbidly.  
  
"Ansem!" Kairi shouted as she jumped from Cloud's grip. A bright white light surrounded her body. Just when she assumed Ansem could sink no lower he surprised her. Endangering her family was way out of line, and she would be happy to cut him short from his goal. "That's enough! You've had your fun! Let us out!"  
  
"Oh, my dear Princess of Heart," The man of darkness begun, "The fun has only begun. Once I get rid of Riku, Sora, and everyone else in the world, I can finish passing the rest of my powers onto Kaze. I will perish, but she will rule in my place. She will destroy the worlds and rule with supreme darkness."  
  
Riku growled dangerously low. Ansem was really starting to tick him off, but a shout from Laiktu stopped his thoughts.  
  
"Why can't you just leave my family the _FUCK ALONE?!_" The child dropped to his knees. Although he was somewhat transparent, it was apparent that he was crying. "All my life, I wanted a father. I always wondered where he was, what he looked like, and what he was like. Mom and Aunt Kairi never told Kioko and I about our fathers. We only knew their names: Riku and Sora. Even though she wouldn't admit it, my mom killed herself everyday because of my dad. She wanted him back. Aunt Kairi showed her emotions openly, weeping every night. Kioko and I heard. We always heard…"  
  
The boy's confession made all eyes in the room stop on him. He beat the ground, tears pouring down his cheeks.  
  
"And now, when I finally get to meet my father, I find out I have a backward man for a grandfather who stole my life away from me, my mom, and my father. Not to mention my father is just as much as an asshole as you are, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that Kioko and I _have_ fathers," Laiktu sniffled, wiping away some of his tears. "Even though she was too stupid to realize that the porcupine was her father."  
  
Kioko blushed out of embarrassment, "H-h-how was I s-s-s-suppose to know?! Y-you didn't e-even realize that that Riku guy was your d-daddy!"  
  
Even with the somber mood amongst them, Laiktu and Kioko still managed comic relief.  
  
Laiktu smiled, "I had my suspicions…"  
  
"Liar! You didn't know he was your father!" Kioko hollered, her embarrassment fading away. She cleared her throat and mimicked Laiktu. "Laiktu was too stupid to realize that Riku was his father. Even though they looked just alike."  
  
"Oh please," Laiktu grunted, "I do not sound like that!"  
  
Kioko pointed at him, smiling, "Yes you do."  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"Uh huh. It's just like that time you kicked Kaori in between the legs and he was hurt. You always sound like that!"  
  
Laiktu glared at his best friend, "Shut up."  
  
Even though death was at everyone's door, no one could suppress a smile at watching the two children fight. Even Sephiroth's lips twitched up. Everyone was smiling, except Kaze, who was just standing, eyes closed as she inhaled and exhaled. It seemed that everyone had forgotten about her.  
  
Ansem, who wasn't so easily amused as the rest of the lot, broke the cute scene, "I hate to interrupt, but the inevitable will happen, boy. Your mother is mine."  
  
Before anyone could open their mouths, a deadly, cold voice reverberated off the walls.  
  
"You will only have one thing, dear father," Kaze said as she titled her head to the side, smiling evilly, "and that will be death."  
  
Ansem laughed cruelly as he locked eyes with Kaze. His daughter was following in his evil footsteps and he liked it. He soon snapped out of her revere when he saw Kaze's body rotate slightly.  
  
"Oh, but don't you see, Kaze, I'm already dead. You cannot kill someone who has no heart."  
  
Kaze smirked, "You may have no heart, but your flesh can melt of your bones and those can break with a decent amount of force."  
  
Everyone gaped at Kaze's statement, except Sephiroth and Cloud. They knew how cruel the white headed woman could be. They had, after all, experienced it once before.  
  
"So you see, you don't have to have a heart to die. Humans are feeble creatures, papa. You say that you outrank us, but you don't. Your bones can snap as easily as anyone else's. Shall I demonstrate for you?" Kaze gracefully held her arms out as the dark aura around her body started to pulsate.  
  
Ansem frowned. Kaze was indeed the pure embodiment of evil, but she was starting to slip from his grasps. He had to think of a plan before he met his end.  
  
"Unless you want to keep the lives of everyone in this room, dear daughter, you better think about what you're doing. Because you see, I'm the only one who knows where your precious son is being held. If you kill me, you won't find him," Ansem smiled wicked. There, that was his plan.  
  
Kaze laughed, "Do you think that I'm that naïve? Father, give me more credit. Once you die, I can easily torment Sephiroth until he tells me."  
  
"What makes you think I'll tell you?" Sephiroth replied.  
  
"Because," She crossed her arms over her chest, "you _do_ want to keep your balls, don't you? Oh wait, my half brother already took care of that. I'll just rip your penis off if you don't. How's that for a comprise? You're already half the man you use to be, dear Sephiroth, I'm sure you would want to keep what little pride you do have."  
  
Laiktu cover his mouth with his hands to keep from erupting with laughter. He had never seen Sephiroth's face so pale since he'd met the man. He knew he could always rely on his mother to keep everyone in line.  
  
"_ENOUGH_!" Ansem's shout bounced off the walls. The Dark Depths structure started to change rapidly as Ansem's body was engulfed in the same black aura that Kaze was in. "If you want to see your families die, then keep talking Kaze. I didn't come here to bring everyone together, I came to make a compromise."  
  
Kairi felt the ground shaking beneath her feet as she fought to keep her balance. Glancing at Ansem's, her anger started to bowl over as he body started radiating a bright white light. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, concentrating on trying to drown the darkness, but before she knew it, the Ultima Weapon appeared in her head.  
  
"_A KEYBLADE?!_" Ansem shouted.  
  
Sora and Riku gaped at the motionless Kairi. They didn't know she had a Keyblade. Kairi, of all people, was a keyblade master--er mistress would be the better term. The two friends watched as Kairi's head shot up quickly and she leaned back and propelled herself in the air, twirling a couple of times and landing beside Kaze, pointing the Keyblade right at Ansem.  
  
"Alright Aunt Kairi!" Laiktu cheered, "Shove it up his ass!"  
  
Kioko momentarily stopped her cheering to pop Laiktu in the back of the head before proceeding back to what she was doing, "Go momma!"  
  
"I'm tired of your games, Ansem!" Kairi yelled defiantly. "I want you to tell me why you kidnapped our families before this gets really ugly."  
  
Ansem raised his hands above his head, laughing manically, "What power do you think you have here, girl? This is the darkness! The light shall be drowned."  
  
"She's stronger than you think, _father_," Kaze retorted, holding out her right arm vertically. She popped it to the side quickly before her staff shot out and extended in her hand. "And I'll gladly help her to take you down!" She twirled the metal staff before bringing her knee up and grasping onto the pole with both ends. Then, she slammed the middle of the staff down onto her knee, breaking it apart. The metal covering on the staff rolled back to reveal two glimmering katanas. She lowered her knee again and twirled the two swords over her head before stopping and slipping down into a fighting stance.  
  
"And the Princess of Darkness comes to the aid of the Princess of Heart. How ironic that light and dark seem to work together now, but within the next two hours, they shall be up against one another," Was Ansem's cool reply.  
  
Kaze, who had gotten to her senses, narrowed her eyes. Cloud had noticed that she was fighting back the evil inside of her, although she still looked like a creature from the pits of hell. Her eyes were no longer black, but shimmered with their normal ice blue color. He was happy with that revelation at least.  
  
Kairi bent her knees and held the Keyblade up in an offensive maneuver. Everyone in the room _still_ could not believe she was wielding a Keyblade.  
  
"And what, pray tell, will happen in the next two hours?" Cloud asked as he readied his buster sword. Everyone getting out their weapons had made him uneasy and he drew his just in case. He was, although, itching for a fight.  
  
"Simple, stepson," Ansem pointed right to Laiktu, "If Kaze doesn't show up at my castle by dusk, I will assume she doesn't want to rule in my place and pass my power onto her son."  
  
"_SAY WHAT?!_" Kaze bellowed.  
  
"Then, I'll kill the girl, Sora, and Riku to insure no one will stand in my way."  
  
"Oh the hell you say!" Riku shouted as he placed himself in front of Laiktu, "I'm not letting you hurt anyone else, Ansem!"  
  
Sora narrowed his sapphire eyes and stepped in front of Kioko defensively, "In order to get to them, you'll have to go through us first."  
  
Kaze and Kairi were both gaping at Ansem's statement and Riku and Sora's sudden valiant stand. They were actually protecting their children. And as much as they wanted to stay in that moment forever, they couldn't, for as soon as Ansem raised his finger and blasted to two fathers, Kairi and Kaze lost it.  
  
"_STOP IT!_" Kairi yelled. She knew if she charged for Ansem, the punishment could be worse.  
  
"Please! Please stop!" Kioko yelled through her tears. "Stop hurting my daddy!"  
  
Sora, even through his pain, peered down at his daughter, tears streaming down her face and pleading with Ansem to stop his torture. He faintly heard Laiktu growl.  
  
"Leave our fathers alone!" The seven year old screamed. "You sorry son of a bitch! Stop with the magic tricks!"  
  
Kaze, having had enough yelling, reared back and threw both of her swords at Ansem, who was too preoccupied to see it coming. He did, however, feel the pain as they both shot through his shoulders, making him stop his assault on Riku and Sora and also pinning him up against the wall in the process. This giving Kairi enough time to jump for him, placing the sharp end of the Keyblade against his throat.  
  
Sora and Riku dropped to the ground, both breathing harshly. Sora clutched onto his shirt, the stinging pain in his chest not subsiding. Kioko was at her father's side immediately, clutching onto his arm. Laiktu knelt down besides Riku, worry written all over his features.  
  
"You gonna make it?" Laiktu asked his father.  
  
Riku nodded his head meekly, "Yeah. I'll-I'll be fine. I'll be even better when that mother fucker dies."  
  
Kioko, who had heard Riku's statement, stuttered her words, "I-I d-don't th-think you'll have to wait for long. Look!"  
  
Sora, Riku, and Laiktu all looked up to see Ansem pinned to the wall, two katanas through each of his shoulders and Kairi standing in front of him, the Ultima Weapon under his throat.  
  
"I'll give you to the count of five, mother fucker," Kairi growled, "to get the hell out of here before I bathe in your blood."  
  
Ansem winced slightly, "And I suppose I'll be taking Riku, Sora, Laiktu, and Kioko with me then."  
  
"Hell no!" The red head shouted.  
  
Kaze appeared at Kairi's side and pushed the younger girl out of her way and grabbed each hilt of the katanas and started to turn them slowly. Ansem winced again, but did not scream out.  
  
"What I want you to do is release them," Kaze's low voice was filled with malice and hate. "Or do you want me to continue wrapping your muscles around my swords?"  
  
Sephiroth made no move to help Ansem. He knew Ansem would find a way out of the situation. He always did, but the urge to fight someone was becoming enticing. He glanced at Cloud and smirked. If this fray was not ended soon, he may start one of his own.  
  
Ansem laughed through his pain, "I suggest you stop what you're doing, darling."  
  
Kaze sneered at his words and quickly twisted the swords, "Or what?"  
  
"I will take away the innocence of your son just like I did you all those years ago."  
  
"You…_fucking bastard_!" Kaze growled. "You can't touch him if you're dead."  
  
Ansem smirked and used his KI to send Kaze flying back, releasing him from the wall, "And you can't stop me if you're dead."  
  
"Then I'll take you to hell with me if I have to," Kaze's eyes once again morphed into an inky black as she ran forward and grabbed Ansem's throat, digging her razor sharp nails into his flesh.  
  
Sephiroth noted that if Kaze used her power to blow herself and Ansem up, then he would more than likely be taken prisoner and killed. He growled and disappeared from his spot before reappearing behind Kairi and placing his sword under her throat. Kairi yelped in surprise.  
  
"_SEPHIROTH!_" Cloud yelled as he charged for his nemesis, but stopped as soon as he saw a trickle of blood sliding down Kairi's throat.  
  
Sora stood up from the ground, fists clinched, "_LET HER GO RIGHT NOW_!"  
  
"Momma!" Kioko shouted.  
  
Kaze wasn't the least perturbed with Sephiroth's actions and continued to dig her nails into her father's throat, intent on killing him. But stopped when Kairi screamed out in pain.  
  
Sephiroth smirked, "If you want your friend to say alive, Kaze, drop him or I'll slit the girl's throat and rip off her head."  
  
"You wouldn't!" Riku yelled.  
  
Cloud held out his arm to stop the younger man, "He would and don't think otherwise."  
  
Kaze looked between Ansem, Sephiroth, and then into Kairi's pleading eyes. It was a hard decision. She could kill her father and risk her friend dying or let her father live and risk the life of her son and everyone else. She growled at her evident show of emotions towards the other girl. When had she become so weak?  
  
"What will it be?" Sephiroth spoke coolly and pressed the blade harder into Kairi's throat.  
  
"_Fuck!_" Kaze burst out and slammed Ansem onto the ground and turned to Sephiroth, intent on stripping him of his pride, but came to a sudden halt when Laiktu and Kioko cried out in pain. She turned to see Ansem standing behind the two children and Riku and Sora.  
  
"Now Kaze, you've made me angry," Ansem stated and lifted the two children up. "I remember telling you once when you were a little girl that making me angry wasn't very wise."  
  
"And pissing me off is worse!" Kaze retorted becoming very impatient with the situation. She looked between Ansem, who had her child, niece, lover, and friend, and then at Sephiroth, who had her comrade. She had to make another decision. Dammit, why was everything so fucking hard?! But before she could make one, Ansem made it for her.  
  
"You've go till dusk, Kaze, to return to me before I strip your son of his innocence and kill your loved ones," He turned to Sephiroth, "And to insure my victory, I'll take the Princess of Heart along with me."  
  
"Oh hell no you won't!" Kairi said and started to struggled under Sephiroth's grip, but stopped when she yet again felt the cool blade of Sephiroth's no datchi.  
  
Cloud's patience had bowled over its peek. Just when he was about to charge for Sephiroth, Kaze raised her hand and shook her head.  
  
"What?!" Cloud shouted, his annoyance evident. "You're going to let him take her?! Kaze, how cruel!"  
  
Kaze lowered her eyes, "We have no choice, Cloud. If we fuck up, then someone is going to die. And I don't want that."  
  
"A wise choice, my dear," Ansem stated and looked into his daughter's eyes. "Dusk."  
  
Kaze noticed Ansem's form become hazy as Laiktu screamed out for her and Kioko screamed out for her mother. Sora and Riku had long given up fighting knowing that they could cause someone to get hurt if they made a wrong move. Kaze wanted to know…  
  
"How do I get there?" She asked to her depleting father.  
  
"I'll leave behind a gateway," Ansem raised his hand and pointed to the center of the room. A inky black hole was forming in the middle waiting for someone to step through. "Take it or they die."  
  
"You have to promise me. Promise me if I show up you'll let everyone go," Kaze said. "This has nothing to do with him!"  
  
Ansem smirked, "You have a deal. That is, if you show up."  
  
Kaze smiled evilly, "You better believe it, mother fucker. And when I do get there, we'll go to hell together."  
  
"We shall see, dear daughter," Ansem's evil voice echoed as he disappeared, "We shall see."  
  
"Mom!" Laiktu shouted and started kicking and throwing punches. "Let me the fuck go you mangy, sorry ass mother fucker!"  
  
Kaze cringed at her son, "Don't worry, Laiktu! I'll come for you. _All_ of you!"  
  
"MOMMA!" Kioko shouted as she reached out for her mother, tears once again spilling over her eyes.  
  
Kairi, who was still captive by Sephiroth and fading along with him, reached out for her daughter, "Kioko! Sora!"  
  
"Kairi!" Sora's figure completely disappeared along with Ansem and the others.  
  
And the last thing that reached Kaze's ears was Riku calling out to her with his heavenly voice. Once they were all gone, Kaze reverted back to her normal state and dropped to her knees, crying for the first time in twelve years. Cloud was at her side immediately, trying to comfort her somewhat.  
  
"Dear God…" Kaze choked out, "What have I done?"  
  
¤-¤  
  
**Author's Note:** Holy hell! I'm so so so so so so so soooooo sorry for not updating sooner! hides away from everyone Please don't kill me! As for this chapter, I hope you guys liked it. It was a little longer than I thought it would be, but that's my present to y'all! As for as the next update goes, I can't promise an exact date, but it will be soon, hopefully. I think I just screwed myself over because I didn't expect the chapter to turn out this way. Honestly, I didn't. ;;…but was it good? I tried really extra special hard for you guys. I want to thank Silver for helping me out with this chappie! She always does! GO AND CHECK OUT HER STORIES, DAMMIT! shakes fist  
  
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_Reviewers Corner_: Eh…hehe…I don't have time to do one right now, but to all the people who reviewed: THANK YOU! ARIGATOU! [insert other 'thank you's' from foreign languages here]. I appreciate all you guys for reviewing! I hope you'll never lose interest!   
  
§§  
  
_Next Chapter_: Ansem has taken Kairi captive, what will he do with her? Kioko, Laiktu, Sora, and Riku have a revelation in their relationships. And how in the hell are Kaze and Cloud going to explain to Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, and King Mickey exactly what happened in the Dark Depths. But the real question is, will Kaze go through with her promise and rescue the others? Stay tuned!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	13. Into the Pits of Hell

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Thirteen: Into the Pits of Hell  
  
**Pairings**: Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Author's Note**: It's time for chapter thirteen. I dug myself into a hole by ending chapter twelve the way I did, but…I'm back and ready for some action! Umm…like I said before, chapter twelve ended way wrong and I intend to fix my actions. gulp Eh…hehehehehehe…let's get started then. prays that the chapter will be okay And let me makes this clear: KAZE DOES NOT GO SUPER SAIYA-JIN! Her transformation is _somewhat_ similar, but it's quite different.  
  
**_WARNING_**: There will be yaoi in this chapter!  
  
¤-¤  
  
It was quiet. Too quiet for Aerith's liking. She glanced around the room. Yuffie had stopped her pacing twenty minutes ago and was now leaning against Leon, her head propped on his shoulder, eyes closed contently. Leon, who seemed to not care, was sitting with his arms crossed, gray orbs closed, and was starting to doze off with Yuffie. King Mickey's hands were folded over his lap, looking down at the ground.  
  
The Ancient sat with her legs crossed, breathing softly. She was becoming rather nervous with the silence. It was unnerving really.  It was a rising need of hers to have somebody's voice ringing through the room right about now, just to preoccupy her mind. She had felt Kaze's power rise incredibly high not ten minutes ago and was contemplating on whether or not to go to the Dark Depths and force her way in there.

King Mickey was perceptive of her tension.  
  
"You must calm down," Mickey's voice was smooth and calm. "Don't worry so much. They will be fine."  
  
Aerith sighed, "You're right, but what if th--oh no!"  
  
Leon opened his piercing blue eyes, "What is it?"  
  
"It's Kairi," The emerald eyed Ancient breathed, "She's gone. I can't feel her power anymore. Kaze and Cloud are still in the Dark Depths. Sephiroth and Ansem are gone too."  
  
Mickey's gaze lowered, "She must have been taken then."  
  
"It's the only logical explanation," Aerith stated.  
  
"But how?" Leon asked. "If Kaze is as powerful as everyone says she is and Cloud was there to help protect her, then how did she get captured?"  
  
"If I knew, you would've been the first one I told!" Aerith snapped. "I don't see into the future. I can't predict things before they happen, Leon, so I would appreciate it if you wouldn't ask me so many questions."  
  
Leon frowned at Aerith's sudden temper. It wasn't rare for the Ancient to get hot under the collar, and today seemed to be one of the days where she wasn't in the best of moods to converse about evil beings and sudden disappearances.  
  
Yuffie yawned and sat up, stretching a little bit. She looked around the room, noticing all of the gloomy faces, "What happened? Did someone die or something?"  
  
Leon abruptly popped Yuffie in the back of the head, "You dumbass, what kind of question is that?! You know what's going on!"  
  
Yuffie took this time to stand up and rear back, punching Leon across the jaw, something that if given the current circumstances hadn't happened, was mighty foolish. "I have you know I'm not a dumbass as you say! I know I'm slow sometimes, but that doesn't give you the right to call me a name. And if I knew what was going on, do you think that I would've asked?!"  
  
Leon slightly moved his jaw to the side, popping it a little bit. Aerith stood up, ready to stop any sort of argument between the two when an inky black bubble appeared in the room and a body shot out of it. Yuffie turned around, wiping away her tears, to see the red cape that belonged to Cloud. Aerith, forgetting the lovers quarrel they had, ran over to her boyfriend, worry sketched all over his features.  
  
"Cloud!" The emerald eyed Ancient yelled and bent down, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Hey. Are--are you alright?"  
  
The blonde groaned and sat up, rubbing his head slightly. He blinked a couple of times before realizing where he was. Aerith's face was looming up in his eyesight. Perhaps out of worry of Kaze down in the dark depths, Cloud gave no recognition that Aerith was speaking to him and concerned of his well being. Standing up hastily, he tried to run through the portal again before it closed; however, he didn't make it and the inky, black portal shrunk and disappeared.  
  
"Fuck!" Cloud abruptly cursed and punched the wall angrily. It was final. He was going to kill Kaze himself. He punched the wall again and again, before leaning his forehead against it, lightly screaming.  
  
King Mickey stood up and cleared his throat, "What happened, Cloud?"  
  
"Why can't I feel Kairi's energy?" Aerith asked.  
  
"Where's Kaze?" Yuffie asked.  
  
Unlike everyone else, Leon didn't utter one word. He knew Cloud better than anyone else, except Aerith, and knew that when he punched walls and cursed to no ends, then he surely wasn't in the mood to be asked question after question, or it would get violent. However, Leon thought he was taking their pestering fair enough; besides, it wouldn't be decent to punch the living hell out of a mouse king, his as of now postponed girlfriend, and that babbling ninja that would be crowned idiot, would it?

Cloud inhaled sharply before turning around, "Would you all mind shutting up for one fucking moment and maybe I can explain!"  
  
Total silence.  
  
"Thank you," The blonde ex-soldier breathed in slowly before raising his eyes to glance at King Mickey. "Ansem has Sora and Riku captive along with Kaze's son and Kairi's daughter, Laiktu and Kioko. Sephiroth kidnapped Kairi and is giving Kaze till dusk to show up at his castle or he'll take Laiktu's innocence and kill everyone."  
  
Still total silence.  
  
"And that's what happened," Cloud muttered, and left it on that note.  
  
It was another round of silence before Aerith cleared her throat and spoke, "Wh-where's Kaze now?"  
  
Cloud's expression fell and he looked at the ground. He was still angry with her, but his concern did not lessen. "Right now, she should be at Ansem's castle."  
  
-  
  
Kaze landed on the other side of the darkness portal silently. She glanced around and frowned when her eyes came on the sight of the castle. Rolling her eyes, she examined it more thoroughly. It was just like her father to have something so…large and exquisite. How did the man expect her to find him in such a huge place? Maybe she should've brought Cloud with her. In any case, she unlocked the portal to the Dark Depths and left the gateway to the "castle of doom" open if Cloud wanted to join her.  
  
With her staff in one hand and her stone cold expression on her face, she walked down the path to the doors and kicked them open, causing them to fly off the hinges. She stepped inside the doorway and was immediately met by several Heartless. Pointing her staff at them, her eyes morphed colors and they all exploded.  
  
Kaze lifted up her head and started following the several amounts of staircases, "_FATHER! GET DOWN HERE NOW_!"  
  
She heard the faint, sadistic chuckle of her father before more Heartless surrounded her. Coal black eyes darted from side to side, watching the heartless circle around her. Wrapping her fingers tighter around her staff, the Princess of Darkness let out an ear-piercing scream that was heard all around the castle. One by one, the Heartless exploded as she transformed slowly. Kaze eyes shot straight up and she expanded her wings, levitating off the ground and flying straight up as the last explosion rocked the castle.  
  
It was time to finish this once and for all.  
  
-  
  
Riku groaned as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He glanced around the room, nothing the other three bodies that littered the floor. Standing on shaky legs, he shuffled towards Laiktu, shaking the boy lightly.  
  
"Hey. Hey Laiktu, wake up," Riku called softly to his son.  
  
It was then that a very high-pitched scream reverberated off the walls. Laiktu's sky blue eyes opened automatically. He knew that voice and scream anywhere. Kioko's eyes opened slowly and it took her a minute to recognize the scream. It sounded evil and full of hatred. Sora's eyes shot open and he jumped up rather quickly, immediately regretting doing so. The world seemed awful hazy.  
  
Laiktu looked down at the floor and then up at Riku, who was still by his side, "That was mom. She must have taken that bastard's threat."  
  
Riku nodded, crossing his legs and sitting down beside Laiktu, "Kaze's always been like that. She takes anything as a threat."  
  
Kioko scooted over towards Laiktu, "Do-do you think she'll come for us?"  
  
Sora _slowly_ walked over to the trio, still trying to fight the haziness. He went to bend down and landed on his rear harshly. He groaned, rubbing his tail, "Of course she will."  
  
"She has to save Aunt Kairi too. I hope that hippie looking fucker doesn't do anything to her."  
  
Kioko's eyes brimmed with tears at the thought of someone hurting her mother. Instead of wrapping herself around Laiktu, she shot forward, colliding with Sora's chest. The male brunette didn't know how to react. He was more stunned that Kioko chose him over Laiktu, the boy she'd known all her life. Hesitantly, Sora wrapped his arms around his daughter's body as her sobs filled the quiet dungeon.  
  
Laiktu shook his head, "Kioko, stop crying for fuck's sake! You're going to wake the dead!"  
  
Kioko, however, sobbed harder and louder at her friend's comment as Sora stroked the girl's soft brown hair. Laiktu rolled his eyes and crossed his arms and chest, puffing up.  
  
"You cry too much, Kioko," His male childish voice said smoothly. "Grow up and stop being afraid."  
  
Riku smirked, looking down at his son, "You can't honestly tell us that you're not the least bit afraid."  
  
"Not really," The seven-year-old stated. "Mom always told me that fear is something irrational. That I should never fear. Enemies smell fear and feed off of it."  
  
Sora eyed the young boy. Did Kaze really teach him such harsh values? He was just a child after all, and what Kaze's past taught her should not be instilled into what was her future; her only son. "But fear is in everyone's heart."

He knew this very well, having being the keyblade master and knowing just how much control fear and darkness wielded in the purest of human beings. No one was safe; it wasn't any exception to that particular rule.  
  
"You're one to talk, Sora," Riku eyed his friend. "You're afraid of almost everything."  
  
Sapphire eyes hardened at the comment, "No I'm not and shut up." The experience toughened him up at the most, but he wasn't a complete wuss beforehand as Riku thought him to be.    
  
Kioko's wails had now calmed down to light sobs as she turned around in Sora's arms, wiping her forearm across her eyes, "Laiktu has been afraid. When we were at the Secret Place, the voice of that creepy man came from it and Laiktu and Kaori were the first two out of the place."  
  
"Hey, at least I had enough sense to not go inside," Laiktu retaliated. "Kaori's dumbass wanted to go in there so bad. He's so damn stupid."  
  
Sora and Riku exchanged rather curious glances at the mention of another child. It somewhat reminded them of their escapades with Kairi, Tidus, and Wakka on the island before all of the Heartless nonsense arrived. When they were blissfully thinking of all the perks of exploring new worlds would bring them. They just shrugged their shoulders and continued to listen to the two childhood friends.

God how they missed those days…  
  
Sora soon realized that Kioko was still resting her head on his chest, breathing deeply. He glanced down at his daughter and saw a content smile on her face as she inhaled and exhaled evenly. Glancing up at Laiktu, the boy was slowly leaning against Riku's shoulder, his ocean blue hair fell over his face as he finally slumped over, falling asleep. Riku's facial expression was nothing more than shocked. Gradually, he wrapped his arm around his sleeping son causing Laiktu's upper body to fall into Riku's awaiting lap.  
  
"It's amazing how much these two are like us," Sora said softly to his life long friend.  
  
Riku nodded, moving some of Laiktu's hair out of his face, "Not only us, but Kaze and Kairi too. Laiktu seems to have inherited Kaze's temper and foul mouth."  
  
"She's not the only one of the two with a foul mouth and bad temper."  
  
"You better be glad you're out of arms reach from me, Sora," Riku stated in a somewhat threatening way, but in a friendly tone. His smiled friendly at Sora before clearing his throat.  
  
"Sora, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."  
  
The platinum haired man's voice was rather shaky. Sora raised an eyebrow and nodded to Riku for him to continue. The twenty-three year old glanced into his friend's sapphire eyes and gathered his nerve. Okay, how was he going to say this?  
  
"What do you think it would've been like if you and I were ever more than friends?"  
  
Sora's shocked expression told Riku all he needed to know. _Damn_, he thought, _maybe I shouldn't of asked him that question_.  
  
-  
  
Kairi felt something cold on her face as she woke up. The dripping of water was heard as a small drop fell on her cheek and rolled down to her neck. Groaning, she pushed herself off the floor and was automatically pulled back down.  
  
"What the hell?" She shook her arms and heard the faint jingle of metal. Ansem and Sephiroth had attached her to the wall. _Just fucking peachy_, she thought maliciously. Nothing was going according to plan here lately.  
  
The door squeaked open and in stepped Sephiroth, that smug, over confident look on his face. His cold gaze bore into hers and she started moving uncomfortably. Why, oh why, was she left alone with Sephiroth? Not only did the guy creep her out, but also he was much stronger than her. She gulped, preparing herself for the worst as the man raised his arm and snapped his fingers; however, no pain came to her body, but she _did_ feel the chains pop off her wrists.  
  
Kairi scrambled to her feet, reaching inside her pockets and all over her body for the key chain of the Ultima Weapon. _Fuck! Where is it?_  
  
"Looking for this?" Sephiroth asked as he held up the item Kairi was looking for. Smirking he placed it in his pocket. "You won't be getting it back anytime soon, my dear. As a matter of fact, I think I'll keep it and use it on the other keybearers an--"  
  
"You wish!" Kairi yelled as she held out her arm and let lose a fury of Thundaga attacks buying her time to jump over Sephiroth, landing behind him silently. She shot up and ran straight out the door deeper into the dungeon. She turned corners and ran into several dead ends before she stopped for a breather.  
  
"O...kay…" Kairi huffed, bending over, supporting herself on her knees, "I…think I lost…him…"  
  
Chills shot up Kairi's spin the minute she finished her sentence. Turning around, she smashed right into Sephiroth's chest. Her breath caught in her throat as he grabbed onto her biceps.  
  
"You can't hide from me, Kairi," The ex-SOLDIER breathed. "Stop trying to put off the inevitable."  
  
"Get the fuck off of me!" Kairi screeched, raising her KI dangerously high. A bright white light surrounded her body and Sephiroth flew off of her, landing on the wall. The Princess of Heart lunged forward and took back her possession: the Ultima Weapon key chain.  
  
"I'll take this back now!" Kairi threw the key chain into the air and caught it before running off down the corridors again. She felt Sephiroth's KI rise and she knew it was time for a battle.   
  
Where was Kaze when you needed her?  
  
-  
  
At that moment, Kaze was gliding down corridors, breaking down doors looking for her father. She couldn't pinpoint his energy enough to open a portal directly to him.  
  
"Bastard!" Kaze gritted her teeth together, "Come out and fight me, father."  
  
When she wasn't answered, Kaze clinched her left hand tighter, causing her black, razor sharp fingernails to puncture her skin. She licked her lips and bared her fangs, "Have it your way. If it takes me blowing up this castle to find you then so be it."  
  
The ground started to shake lightly as Kaze rose her KI. Her eyes radiated black as her hair started to stand up in several places. She was risking a lot by using this much power, but if her father chose to hide from her, the choice to use the power was the only way. The aura around Kaze pulsated the further she dug into her powers. The ends of her hair sharpened, and, right when she was going to unleash her rage, she stopped.  
  
"Kairi…" Kaze blinked when she felt her friend's KI skyrocket and Sephiroth's right behind her. Inhaling sharply, her power decreased with every second. Turning her head sharply to the right, Kaze held up her bloody left hand and summoned a portal.  
  
It wouldn't hurt to visit Sephiroth, now would it?  
  
-  
  
Sora stared blankly at Riku. His question was…unexpected at the most. Why would he choose to spring the awkward situation on him now in the foulest of places? Swallowing harshly, the brunette tried to find the right words to say.  
  
"Well--"  
  
"I don't want you to think bad of me, Sora," Riku said softly, cutting Sora off. Sora had a good feeling where the conversation was traveling down to.  
  
"I know it was a strange question, Sora," Riku stared, "but…for the longest time, before I met Kaze, I had an…unexplained infatuation with you."  
  
That came out pretty well. If you bypassed Sora's dumbfounded look. Riku took a deep breath and decided to finish his confession.  
  
"The way you moved, the way you spoke--it was so enchanting."  
  
He couldn't help it that his eyes followed Sora on more than one occasion, sometimes straying to parts he wasn't even supposed to be considering on another guy. But it was Sora, the boy he grew up with, the only boy that could make him feel this way.   
  
"You had my eye for the longest time and, after realizing that you and Kairi were meant to be, I met Kaze."  
  
Riku wasn't completely dense to pull something on Sora, as much as he was tempted to. If Sora had suspicions that Riku was a bit fond of him, now he knew. They had their significant other and all thoughts or attractions either of them might have held for the other was dismissed. Riku and Kaze were… considerably happy with each other. So why ruin Sora's relationship for his selfish, unnatural feelings?  
  
Sora didn't know how to respond to Riku's overacted "confession". He locked gazes with his friend. Although he didn't want to admit to himself at the time, Sora did have a small crush on Riku. When he was younger, the aquamarine-eyed boy had invaded his personal thoughts more than once. _Now how to tell him that in words?_  
  
"Riku, I--" Sora began, but this long kept revelation of Riku's must have been tearing him up pretty badly, for he rushed into a ramble of how he wanted Sora to stay his friend.  
  
"I know it's not right!" Riku declared, reminding himself that their kids were present in the room and could wake up at any given moment. He cleared his throat and began in a soft passionate voice, "I know it's not right, but dammit Sora, if loving you is wrong, I'd rather go to hell than to die with what is right! I love Kaze, yes, but I can't see us together like I see you and me!  And that fucking sickens me! I thought Kaze was my soulmate…what a load of bull. Sora, you are everything in the world to me, a friend, a brother, a… lover…perhaps."  
  
Sora's eyes began to water with restrained tears. Riku held all of this from him, from Kaze, from everybody he knew, even from Sora himself, and yet Sora wasn't as surprised as he thought he would be at Riku's confession. If anything, he felt more relieved he wasn't the only one who felt this way. But he couldn't say this to Riku….  
  
How could he express it…?  
  
The brunette shifted Kioko in his arms and scooted closer to Riku. Stopping by his left side, Sora reached up and cupped his friend's cheeks in his hands. His thumb lightly brushed the skin as he stared into Riku's eyes. Riku was starving for him; the glint in his eyes told Sora he needed this more than anything else right now, and he wanted to help him with whatever he needed. Sora was a bit hesitant as he inched his lips closer to Riku's own. He had the right idea, but wasn't sure if he had the guts to carry it out. After all, Riku was still with Kaze; the thought of kissing her man was taking the inclination to touch Riku in this way. Riku, on the other hand, wanted Sora badly, and no doubts or anything else was going to hinder tasting Sora's delicate lips. Riku's hand snaked through Sora's spiky locks before pulling Sora against him, crushing their lips together.  
  
_So much for words_, Sora thought humorously.  
  
The kiss was…intoxicating. The faint scent of sandalwood filled Riku's nose as Sora's tongue slipped past his lips and into his hot cavern. Their tongues seemed to dance together intimately as they both explored the others mouth. Riku's free hand trailed up Sora's side, causing the brunette to shiver slightly. This was something the platinum haired man had wanted for years, but it felt…wrong. But Riku had never stopped doing things that he felt were wrong before, so why was he hesitating now? He had wanted it before, and now that it was actually happening, his eagerness was slipping away drastically.  
  
Guilt…  
  
The feeling of guilt washed over his body as the kiss deepened even more, Sora moaning loudly, but not loud enough to wake the two children. Riku was actually feeling guilty for kissing Sora, but why?  
  
Kaze…  
  
The mother of his child and, undoubtedly, the love of his life. Kaze had shown him so much love and tender care when he was blind and this was how he was repaying her. The unwelcome feelings surfaced again and Riku, just for a minute, had regretted ever meeting Kaze.  
  
Sora broke the kiss somewhat reluctantly and gazed into the other man's eyes. Throughout the years of friendship, the younger of the duo could always tell what the older was thinking by reading his emotions, and he saw it. The guilt. And it was then that Sora realized that Riku was truly in love with Kaze, and now he felt guilty for what he did. Riku, as much as he tried to deny it, loved Kaze so much, and who was Sora to worm his way into their relationship in such a way? Riku would live without him, he had came this far…  
  
How was he going to explain this to Kairi?  
  
¤-¤  
  
**AN: **Phew…okay, that was a load off. I had wanted to do a yaoi scene SOOOOOO bad, and now I've finally done it! I want to thank Silver(yet again) for correcting my mistakes and helping me with the fic. She's always so kind and helpful to me when I ask, and I don't know how to repay her. I don't know how to repay any of you for everything you've all done. The support and everything! I hope everyone loved this chapter and I'll have chapter 13 up as soon as I can!  
  
Oh…and I'm not going to do a reviews corner for this chapter or probably any of the rest. Haha. It takes up too much space and you guys always think the story is longer than it is suppose to be! Gomen! You all know how much I love you guys, right? If you want to ask any questions or chat email me: Winggundampeaceyahoo.com or IM me on AIM: LadyRekka1974.  
  
_Next Chapter_: Cloud visits the Dark Depths and makes a final decision on whether or not to help Kaze as he somewhat heals his relationship with Aerith. King Mickey explains Kaze's origins and Yuffie confesses her "undying" love to Leon. Meanwhile, Kairi is stuck in a corner with Sephiroth as Kioko, Laiktu, Sora, and Riku watch. Will Kaze arrive in time to save her? Stay turned!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	14. Closer to the Edge

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Fourteen: Closer to the Edge  
  
**Pairings**: Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora  
  
**Author's Note**: …[crickets chirp] I know…I know, you guys are gonna kill me right? I'm sooooooooooooo sorry! I really am. But rather than apologizing profusely, I should just get to the chapter, right? Lol. Okies! - Sorry!  
  
¤-¤  
  
Sora continued to stare into Riku's deep, aquamarine eyes, seeing the guilt spread across his best friend's handsome face. He didn't know if he should say anything or stay quiet. It was sort of strange to sit in front of his childhood friend, whom he had just kissed, and try to remain calm about it. Sora opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Riku's finger pressing against it softly.  
  
"I don't regret it, Sora and neither sh--"  
  
Riku stopped as an unidentified sound was heard throughout the cell. Listening closely, Riku and Sora identified two sets of running footsteps pounding down the hall. They looked at one another quizzically.  
  
Sora moved Kioko, standing up to go closer to the bars, "Who in the world?"  
  
A high shriek answered Sora's question as the footsteps got closer. Kioko and Laiktu both jumped awake as another shriek echoed through the hall. The young, sapphire eyed girl's gasped as she recognizing the voice.  
  
"Momma!"  
  
Just ask Kioko said those words, an explosion sounded in the small room as Kairi's body appeared rolling down the hallway. She turned to roll on her side as she pushed her up on the ground, the Ultima Weapon appearing in her hand immediately. Sephiroth was close behind her, eyes blazing with anger and fury, no-datchi raised in the air. He smirked at Kairi, twirling his sword once.  
  
"Kairi!" Sora grabbed onto the bars angrily as Kioko ran up to him, gripping onto his pants leg.  
  
Riku growled, pushing his feeling for Sora aside. He knew that if Kairi were to die, the brunette would be totally heartbroken. Seeing Sora hurting was the last thing he wanted. Damning Ansem for taking away their key chains, Riku started kicking at the bars.  
  
"Fucker! Get away from her!"  
  
The silver haired man acted as if he didn't hear the protests, and slowly advancing on Kairi; who was shaking with fear and anticipation. Realizing she might be dead if she didn't do anything, Kairi raised the keyblade, pointing it at Sephiroth, as it glowed red, fire swirling around it before the magic shot out. Another small explosion rocked the area. Everyone smiled, but the victory was short lived as the smoke cleared and an even angrier Sephiroth emerged. With lightning speed, the ex-SOLIDER moved and appeared in front of Kairi, pressing the tip of his no datchi against her jugular vein.  
  
Laiktu glared at Sephiroth hatefully from his place behind Riku, "If you hurt her you'll have three people on your ass like shit on Velcro!"  
  
Kairi gulped, sweat dripping off her cream colored skin. Having Sephiroth's sword so close to her body was unnerving. Closing her eyes, the keyblade mistress started praying for a miracle.  
  
And the minutes Sephiroth started twisting the blade into the woman's soft skin, a defiant battle cry was heard, followed by a scream of pain. Opening her eyes, Kairi looked to see the silver haired man holding onto his bleeding arm, his hand…_missing_?! Gulping, Kairi looked down to her side and saw none other than what use to be Sephiroth's right hand. She screamed and backed up against the cell bars.  
  
Kioko busted out into tears seeing the dismembered appendage. Sora pulled her close, shielding her eyes from the horrid sight. Riku's face was contorted in pain as Laiktu grinned.  
  
"I told about you poking people with that skimpy piece of metal, Sephiroth."  
  
Everyone in the room stopped their actions as they looked around in the darkness, trying to find the source of the voice. To the north, a figure with its arms crossed was barely illuminated by the light. Slowly taking a step forward, gasps of shock and surprise sounded in the room. Out of the darkness stepped out an equally pissed Kaze. Her face held an usual stone cold expression, the edges of her hair were sharper than usual and black as night; although her eyes shone with their original blue color. One would think she was a vampire with the length of her sharp, looking canine teeth. Three-inch blade-like fingernails rested on her forearms as she glared down at Sephiroth  
  
"I also told you that if you pointed it at anyone that would be the last thing you saw before I sent you to hell in a matchbox."  
  
Gripping onto his blood gushing wrist, Sephiroth stood up, "But I didn't point it at your son."  
  
"The rules can be bent, Sephy dear," Reaching out, Kaze wrapped her hand around Sephiroth's throat, shoving him against the brick wall, "It's time to die."  
  
Sora shielded Kioko's eyes from the site of a highly pissed of Kaze about to brutally murder a wounded Sephiroth. Laiktu rampantly hollered out "kick his ass, mom!", while Riku sighed, glaring at her. Just as Kaze was about to slit the man's throat with one of her nails, Kairi grabbed her wrist.  
  
"Don't kill him!" Kairi's eyes pleaded with Kaze's as he held tightly onto her wrists. Stupidity must have gotten the best of the keyblade mistress because here she was, holding the wrist of a person who could easily kill her with the flick of her wrists. She gulped.  
  
"What kind of morals do you have if you killed a man in front of your own son and adoptive niece?"  
  
Kaze glared at Kairi, her eyes slowly turning darker, "None. Now let me go. I would hate to kill _you_ in front of your own daughter and adoptive nephew."  
  
Sephiroth, seeing an opportune moment, rose his good hand and punched Kaze in the face. The white haired demon stumbled backwards, releasing her grip on the man's neck. Recovering quickly, Kaze pulled out of Kairi's grasp as he lunged for Sephiroth; unfortunately, he had already created a portal and vanished through it. Kaze's body collided with the wall. Growling, she started cursing at the top of her lungs, punching the wall furiously.  
  
Kairi backed up from Kaze, going towards the cell bars, trying to preoccupy herself. Her body dripped with sweat because she knew the minute Kaze was finished with the wall she would be the next thing to be assaulted. Opening the door to the cell with her keyblade, Kairi was about to run in and hug Sora's neck, but someone yanking her back by the hair stopped her in her tracks.  
  
"Momma!" Kioko wailed as she moved from Sora to go for her mother.  
  
"Don't move Kioko," Kaze demanded as she pulled harder on Kairi's hair, "Give me one god damn good reason why I shouldn't rip your fucking arms off your body, Kairi?"  
  
Riku took a step towards Kaze, trying to show his fear of the woman he loved, "Now Kaze, don't do anything rash."  
  
"You harm her in any way and I'll kill you myself!" Sora shouted. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her shit. What happened to the Kaze he use to know? Sure, she was a bitch, but never really harmed anyone.  
  
The glare Kaze shot Sora made chills run down everyone's spin, "Shut up you spiky haired porcupine!"  
  
Laiktu grinned from behind Riku, "Didn't I call you that yesterday, Sora?"  
  
Kioko threw her shoe at Laiktu, "Stop making fun of my daddy!"  
  
Kairi clenched her eyes shut tightly, trying not to cry out from the pounding pain in her cranium, but when she felt Kaze release her hair, she couldn't help but open her mouth, "Why'd you let go?"  
  
Kaze watched Kairi stand up and stare at her awkwardly, "You take them and get out of here."  
  
"W-what?" Sora raised an eyebrow, "G-get out?"  
  
"Unless you want to die, I suggest you listen to me," Kaze turned around and walked out of the cell. "I have to go talk with my father. If you five stay here, he'll only use you against me. I don't want to see any of you hurt…just go so I'll know you guys will be safe."  
  
Riku didn't know whether to reach out for her or stay put. His already upside down emotions made it hard for him to watch Kaze stand there and talk like that. As the male in the relationship, it was his job to protect her; yet, not only was she protecting him, but also Kairi, Sora, Laiktu, and Kioko. Images swirled through his mind of the suicide mission Kaze was throwing herself into. He couldn't help but see her laying in a pool of her own blood as Ansem's figure stood over her laughing.  
  
"Did you people just hear a word I just said?" Kaze growled and turned around to face them, "Leave this place and stay out of the Dark Depths in Hollow Bastion. If by chance I don't return…the portal will close and no one will able to access it."  
  
Everyone stared wide-eyed at Kaze's assumption of her death. A tear welled up in Kairi's eyes as she opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a frantic Laiktu, pushing his way past Riku, running to his mother. The child jumped at her body, wrapping his arms around her waist as he cried.  
  
"Don't leave momma! Please don't leave! I don't want you to die!" Tears streamed down Laiktu's ivory skin as he gripped onto Kaze's hips tighter.  
  
Kaze's surprised expression changed to that of a lovingly mother as her hair slowly laid down on her back, returning to its natural color. Her nails seemed the shrink down and slowly wither back into her fingers. It was all slow motion after that as Kaze slowly knelt down beside Laiktu, taking her weeping son into her arms, cradling him affectionately.  
  
-  
  
Everyone stared in awe at Cloud's statement. Kaze had gone to Ansem's castle alone. That was just asking for death! Aerith looked appalled at the words that left the blonde's mouth, Yuffie rose a hand to her face gasping in surprise, and the only one who seemed not to care was Leon, whom still wasn't speaking. A deep, but high pitched sighed caused everyone to look at King Mickey.  
  
"I knew this would happen…"  
  
Cloud's mouth dropped as he stared blankly at the mouse king. _He knew…he knew…_ "Why the fuck didn't you tell me you damn rat! You let my sister just waltz her happy ass into that deranged bastard's territory knowing she didn't have a snow balls chance in hell of winning against him!"  
  
Aerith reached out to her boyfriend, "Cloud, calm down."  
  
"Calm down?! _CALM DOWN?!_ How the hell am I suppose to be calm when my fucking baby sister is knocking on death's door?! Tell me, Aerith, because I would really like to know!"  
  
The whole room was silent once against as they watched Cloud release his pent up frustration.  
  
"God damn, you people piss me off! It makes me wonder why I was ever stuck around this long!" Turning on his heel, the blonde started out the door.  
  
"Cloud, wait!" Aerith cried out frantically, grasping onto his wrists, "Where are you going? Please don't--"  
  
The Ancient's words were cut short as a chaste, hott kiss was placed over her lips. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Aerith closed her emerald eyes, savoring the tender moment between herself and her lover. Pulling back, Cloud placed his callused hand on Aerith's cheek, looking down at her with evident love and concern.  
  
"I'm going to save my sister. Don't worry, I'll come back," he pulled her to his chest, hugging her softly as he looked in Leon's direction. "Gather what defenses you can and stand outside of the Dark Depths incase any Heartless try to escape."  
  
Smirking, Leon glanced at his companion with is deep, grey orbs, "Who died and made you leader?"  
  
Releasing Aerith, Cloud took a step back, "My step-father." The swishing of Cloud's cape was the last thing heard as the blonde ran out of the room and to the Dark Depths.  
  
Yuffie's mouth dropped a mile as he pointed to where Cloud once stood, "I…don't get it…his _step-father_? Our leader was Ansem!"  
  
King Mickey nodded, "As you know, Kaze and Cloud are half siblings. They had the same mother, but different fathers. After Cloud's father died, his mother met Ansem and they married shortly after. Ansem adopted Cloud as his own son before he knew Miss Strife was pregnant."  
  
This story had perked Leon's sense and he listened intently, "With Kaze?"  
  
"Correct, Leon."  
  
Yuffie raised her hands in the air, waving them around, "Whoa whoa whoa! Hold on now!" She took in a deep breath, standing in front of King Mickey. "You mean to tell me that Ansem is Cloud's step-father? Not only that, but Kaze is that man's daughter? And not only that-"  
  
"Yuffie," Leon said calmly, "shut up."  
  
Fearing a fight would break out, Aerith stepped between the emotionless SeeD and the frantic ninja, "This is no time to be fighting. We need to do what Cloud suggested. Gather what defenses we have and protect our home!"  
  
King Mickey stood up, "Aerith is right. This is the final battle for the sake of the worlds! It's no time for bickering and arguing like little children!"  
  
Leon frowned, knowing what was spoken was true. He glanced at Yuffie, whom's gaze seemed to be fixed on his body intently. Shit…he hated being surveyed like this. It was as if someone was slowly picking him apart and it tickled the hell out of him unbelievably.  
  
"What are you staring at?" The brunette twitched out of annoyance.  
  
Yuffie shifted from foot to foot, biting her lower lips, "I…I just wanted to tell you that I--um--I…love you. I just wanted to get that out in case, you know, we die tonight."  
  
"E-ex-excuse m-m-me?" Leon stuttered his words as he stared at the ninja girl. His deep brown orbs found her sorrow filled royal blue ones as he tried to find the words to say. "Yuffie, I--"  
  
"I hate to ruin the moment, but King Mickey is returning to Disney castle to send reinforcement if needed be," Aerith's commanding voice shocked the two as she held her bo staff ready to fight. "We need to be on our way to the Dark Depths before anything happens."  
  
Yuffie sighed at the irony of it all. She had finally gathered up the nerve to tell Leon her feelings and Miss Perfect had to ruin it. The Gods must have been laughing at her right now. Sulking, she followed behind Aerith, her face flushed a deep red when Leon placed a hand on her shoulder, and leaned down close to her ear.  
  
"We'll talk later."  
  
Yuffie smiled. Maybe there was hope after all…  
  
-  
  
A normal, livid looking Kaze walked down the darkened corridors of her father's home in search of his throne room. She had just finished sending off Kairi and the others to the gates of her father's castle where a portal would be waiting for them to return to Hollow Bastion, but deep in her heart, Kaze regretted having to leave them. Fearing the worst, she knew her chances of survival against her father were slim…and she was risking taking his place as the Queen of Darkness by pushing past her limits. Kaze's soft steps made no sound as she continued down the hall, dwelling on her own thoughts.  
  
_That may have been the last time I got to kiss and hold my son in my arms…the last time I get to threaten Kairi…the last time to pet Kioko's head…the last time to scream at Sora…the last time I get to see Riku's face…Riku, damn. I never got to tell him how I truly felt. I only pray to whatever higher power is up there that he knows I love him. _  
  
Making a sharp right turn, Kaze took ten more steps before she came face to face with the door. This was it. Behind this door was where she would finally confront her father and make him pay for the crimes he had committed. Her soul and conscious would no longer be filled with hate and sorrow over the death of her mother or the loss of her own innocence.  
  
_No matter what…I won't back down. I will win and return to the people who care for me. I will not leave my son and brother alone!_  
  
Reaching down for the doorknob, an image of Laiktu's grief stricken face flashed in her mind briefly. His beautiful aquamarine eyes spilling over with hot tears as he cried out for her to stay. He didn't want to let her go and the only thing Kaze could think to do was render him unconscious. She had handed him over to Riku, threatening his life if anything happened to the boy in his arms.  
  
_"I swear Kaze, I won't let anything happen to him. He's my son too. Just promise me that you will come back for his sake…and for mine."_  
  
Wiping away the one tear that slid down her pale cheeks, Kaze gripped onto the doorknob and turned it. When the door didn't open she cursed loudly. She couldn't back down now. Not when she was finally here. There had to be a way to open the damn door! Taking in a deep breath, Kaze's body slowly morphed into its demonic form as he doors flew open and she stepped inside.  
  
The final battle started now…  
  
-  
  
"God…this place is awful…"  
  
When Cloud had been on his way to the Dark Depths, he highly doubted that he would find a way to Ansem's Castle, but low and behold, Kaze had left a portal for him to use. When he stepped through dark hole, the rank smell of dead and rotting flesh burned his nostrils. He glanced around at his surroundings and came to the conclusion that his stepfather had no sense in decoration what so ever.  
  
A very low squeak caught his attention. Slowly turning around, Cloud noticed the portal back to Hollow Bastion was slowly closing. That only meant one of two things. One, the place was about to be destroyed or two, Kaze was…_No. I won't think that! She wouldn't die on me!_  
  
He knew there wasn't much time to stay in this horrendous place. Cloud quickly drew his sword and was prepared to fight any mother fucker who touched him or any Heartless that he saw. Running up the road to Ansem's castle, he was stopped when a familiar voice reached his ears. He turned around, his eyes widening a little bit.  
  
"Cloud? The fuck are you doing here?"  
  
Riku was standing not five feet away from him holding an unconscious Laiktu in his arms. Right behind him were Sora, Kairi, and Kioko, who looked totally petrified of the place as she was clinging onto her father's leg.  
  
Clearing his throat, Cloud looked at Riku, "I'm here to help Kaze."  
  
"Well good fucking luck," Riku's voice sounded full of sorrow and anger. Clenching his eyes shut, he turned around, his back to Cloud. "Kaze sent us here…she's going to fight Ansem alone."  
  
And everyone could have sworn at that moment, every world in the galaxy hear Cloud's frantic and distraught scream.  
  
¤-¤  
  
**AN**: Well, I made a record you guys. I finished this chapter in three days. Lol. You know, I told myself I wanted to have the story finished by the 18th of August, but…looks like I might not make the deadline. Anyhow, thank you to all the people who are still reading this story and I promise to get the next chapter out soon. [goes off to work on it now].  
  
_Next Chapter:_ It's the final battle! Everyone'll just have to wait and see what happens! [insert evil laughter here] I'm not spoiling it!  
  
Winter Peacecraft-Yuy


	15. The Game of Nothingness

Brightness and Darkness  
Chapter Fifteen: The Game Of Nothingness  
**  
Pairings**: Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and _maybe_ Riku/Sora

**Author's Note**: Yup, I know. You're all gonna kill me, right? I hope not! As always, I'm sorry for the long update. I swear this story will be finished by Christmas! Which...isn't too far away. I guess I need to get to work then.

Thank you to all of the fans for supporting me throughout the whole span of this story! I appreciate everyone's comments and reviews! I recommend everyone to listen to the song "Kyomu No Chuu De No Yuugi Dais" by Malice Mizer. That song has fueled me whole inspiration for this chapter, plus the incentive from the fans and my fiancée. I love you, angel!

THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER! THERE IS STILL AN EPILOGUE TO GO...unless I decide to end it without one.

**_  
WARNING:_** Semi rape scene ahead, hints of incest, and lots of reading. This is a long ass chapter!

¤-¤

Shortly before Cloud entered inside the domain of darkness, Ansem sat at his throne, watching everyone intently through a solid black orb in front of him. He had seen it all: Kaze bursting into his palace, Kairi escaping from Sephiroth, Kaze dismembering the ex-SOLDIER, and his disobedient daughter sending all of his prisoners to the outskirts of his castle.

But he didn't need a magical ball or the power of darkness to know that Kaze was heading towards his throne room intent on destroying him. With a wave of his hand, he sent the orb away and waiting patiently for Sephiroth or Kaze one to burst into his throne room.

Think quietly to himself, he had often wondered where Sephiroth ran off to every time he seemed to fail a mission. Grinning maliciously, Ansem made note that when he saw the silver-haired man again to promptly slit his throat and jump rope with his internal organs. At least he wouldn't have to worry about anymore failures on his behalf.

Picking up his glass of blood red wine, Ansem brought the goblet to his lips. The grin on his face couldn't of been misread by anyone. Setting the drink down, the leader of darkness rose from this throne just as the doors flew open and off the hinges, slamming into the wall on the other side of the room before shattering into a million pieces. Dust shielded the area from any visibility, but Ansem didn't need to see to know who it was.

"So...you finally decided to take my place, Kaze."

A great burst of air filled the room as the dust was sucked out through the door where Kaze stood, her hair starch white, eyes a hardened icy hue of blue. Her arms laid at her side as the rest of her body remained rigid and alert to her surroundings.

"I came to try and compromise with you one last time before I...kill you," She stepped into the room, the white sheen of hair flowing behind her.

Laughing at the sheer irony in that statement, Ansem stepped down from his throne, "You will never kill me, dear daughter. Even if I die, you will have to live with knowing a part of me still resides in your body; and, once I'm done with you, my whole essence will linger inside your walls. Like it did all of those years ago."

Kaze made no movement to his words as she stopped in front of him, staring into his eyes that were as yellow and bright as the sun; yet...they held no light. Just an empty void of what use to be a great man. Even as her father stepped closer to her, Kaze held her ground, standing firm and tall.

She would no longer allow him to run over her.

"As my daughter, you are destined for greatness. That greatness will lead you to infinite power. The power used to control the Heartless and the worlds of this pathetic universe! You will rule my kingdom of darkness, Kaze. You are mine and will always be mine! Together...you and I will control the entire universe and all of its power will"

"Oh...shut up!"

Ansem lowered his arms, surprised at the outburst. He knew it was a bad habit, but he had always used his arms to insinuate things when he was giving great speeches. Apparently...this speech wasn't so great.

"I want you to look at yourself, father! Look at what you've become! You were never like this when I was a child. What happened to the father who use to take me out on picnics or play with me in my room? You used to be so kind and caring. Everyone loved you back then. Hell, even Cloud! Momma always knew that there was good in you and the people at Hallow Bastion looked to you as their great leader! You had given so many people hope...saved so many lives...

"But now...you've become a monster controlled by your own lust for power and dominance of the worlds. You sold your heart for darkness and your soul for power. But the people who live in this universe...the worlds belong to them! You don't have the right to take away the freedom and homes of people who use to worship you, Ansem! So, no as far as I'm concerned, I am no longer your daughter!"

Kaze stepped up to him, jabbing her finger in his face, "_You_ are _not_ my father and _I_ belong to _no one_!"

_Caught between the crevice of delusion and reality  
surge vague twine rip assault mind  
through the shattered pieces of glass countless rays of light are reflected_

Ansem's face turned cold and his eyes glowed for a spilt second. Kaze didn't even feel herself as she was sent flying backwards, but the sharp pain up her spine wasn't ignored as she hit the solid brick wall at a tremendous force. A strangled cry of pain left her throat as she hunched over. In no time, Ansem was standing in front her, pressing his rock solid body against his daughter's soft one.

"You will always belong to me, dear daughter," He cooed before grabbing onto one of her breasts, his other hand trailing down her body to cup her womanhood.

The white haired heiress growled at her father, trying to break free of his grasp. She moved her body foreword which only succeeded in him rubbing his hand up and down the crotch of her pants.

Ansem clicked his tongue, "You can't get away from me, dear Kaze."

Kaze felt Ansem bend down to kiss her neck gently. His lips going up to her jaw line only to press against her full, red lips harshly. Her fists tightened as she bit down on his tongue, the taste of copper filling her mouth. She only remembered getting angry before her body glowed and the ground shook beneath her as Ansem was sent sprawling backwards.

_In my ruined and dissoluted mind  
I ridicule nihility, I dissipate in solitary  
Cold blood flows  
My faded mind is flipping through_

A bright light engulfed the room as Ansem shielded his eyes from the unexpected move. Gathering his composure, he stood and opened his eyes to see Kaze standing against the wall. He had never seen her so angry before. Her hair was no longer white; her eyes no longer ice blue. All he saw was the demon he had created nineteen years ago. Her black hair stood at spiked ends with eyes black as night. Her nails, her body, her face...was completely different. This wasn't the Kaze he knew...

This was the daughter of darkness...but he wasn't afraid.

"You think you can outsmart me!" Ansem yelled, his dark aura filling the other half of the room. "I created you! You are my property and you will _OBEY ME_!"

Kaze took one look at her father before rising off the ground, her eyes narrowing slightly, "We shall see who I truly belong to..._FATHER!_"

_From yonder of darkness, pierced light awaken the past  
Eternity of time is ticking away endlessly  
Reminiscence  
From yonder of time, the present tied to the past  
With pieces of recollection  
Reminiscence_

And as Kaze flew at Ansem, unknown to them, another battle was raging outside.

"How many of these things are there!" Cloud shouted as he swung his buster sword, destroying a horde of Heartless in the process. Jumping into the air and over another group, Cloud ran up the stairs two or three at a time. He was on a time limit and knew that if he didn't reach his sister and stepfather in time then one or both of them would die.

He hadn't had much time to converse with Riku, Kairi, or Sora. After his scream of rampage, billions of Heartless had poured out of the castle, heading right towards the portal Kaze left open. In a split second decision, Cloud had sent the others back to Hallow Bastion while he stayed there to fight off the beings. But he was only one man and within five minutes of the fight most of the Heartless had escaped into the other world leaving Cloud only one choice...

To leave and find his family.

Truth be told, he really didn't want Ansem to die. Cloud hadn't known his real father and Ansem was the only person he had to look to when he was little. It was sad to know that his only real father was now an evil maniac who wanted to control the world and actually _needed_ to die for things to be set right. But Kaze...she was different. He loved his sister (even if he didn't show it) and would do anything for her. He knew Kaze loved him too, buttruth be toldthe two siblings were so much alike that it was hard to express their feelings. She may be Ansem's biological daughter and the heiress of darkness, but he didn't care. Cloud still loved Kaze for herself.

Leaping up another flight of stairs, Cloud came to a skidding halt as a new breed of Heartless had him cornered from all sides. Cursing loudly, he gripped the end of his buster sword tightly, trying to decide what to do. Smirking, he leapt into the air, raising his weapon high as it glowed brightly.

"_OMNISLASH!_"

A thunderous _boom_ was heard as every single Heartless was hit head on. The floor itself crumbled beneath the creatures as they plummeted down to their deaths. Cloud didn't seem to take into consideration that the ground would complete disappear, but being the expert he was, Cloud easily twisted his body in the air and, as he grabbed onto another railing, flung himself up and over and landed on solid ground once again.

Dusting himself off quickly, Cloud held onto his weapon tightly as he ran down the halls, searching for Kaze and Ansem while destroying several Heartless in the process.

"Form a protective circle around the children! Don't let the Heartless near them!"

Aerith's frantic cry was heard throughout the Dark Depths as more Heartless poured through the portal leading from Ansem's palace. She Ancient stood in front of a crying Kioko and an unconscious Laiktu as she destroyed as many Heartless as she could. If she wasn't so lady like, a stream of curse words would have already left her mouth by now.

Kairi and Sora were on the left side of Aerith, their Keyblades glowing as they used as much magic as possibly to defend themselves and their child from the Heartless. If they didn't have to stay in one place, they two Keybladers would have already leapt into action across the field, but, as the Heartless kept pouring from the portal, they knew that in order to protect Kioko that they would have to stay put.

Leon cursed loudly as a Heartless grabbed a hold of his leg tightly. He kicked it off and used his Gunblade to slash across the field, getting rid of as many of the creatures as possible. Growling, the reared back into a defensive position, his Gunblade held high as it grew in length, becoming a shiny bright blue as it sparkled slightly.

"Fated Circle!" He leapt into the air, his Gunblade at his side as he performed a complete 180° turn in the air as his gunblade shot out a beam that raked across the field, destroying all of the Heartless in the area. As he landed, a quick glance at the portal showed that even more Heartless than before were coming out.

"Dammit!" Leon growled and readied his weapon again. "We can't take much more of their relentless attacks!"

Riku stood over his son, his Keyblade held firmly in his right hand, "We have to! There's no other choice, Leon. Unless the portal is sealed then they will keep coming. Be thankful that we're only fighting the shadow Heartless!"

As soon as those words left his mouth, out of the portal stepped out a Behemoth Heartless. Everyone stared in awe as the creature stood in front of them, letting out an immense battle roar.

"Well...mother fuck..." Riku swore under his breath, gripping the Oblivion tighter. As he glanced down at Laiktu, the silver-haired angel remembered his promise to Kaze. He would protect Laiktu with his life, and if he had to give up his life to do so, then so be it.

As Riku prepared to go in for an attack, Aerith's words stopped him.

"Great Gospel!" Her elegant voice rang through the area as she twirled her staff in front of her before stopping. A soft glow surrounded everyone's bodies as their injuries and magic were healed and upon further inspection, they all noticed they were semi invisible.

"What in the world?" Kairi asked as she held up here hand.

Yuffie jumped in front of the group, her shuriken gripped firmly in her hand, "Great Gospel is Aerith's ultimate move. We're temporarily invisible for right now! Let's hurry and attack before it wears off!"

The ninja girl jumped up in the arm, arm held high, "Doom of the Living!"

Everyone watched as Yuffie ran across the field at lightning speed, delivering deadly blows to all of the Heartless and to Behemoth. The large monster let out a defiant roar, signaling that it wasn't phased by the attack.

"Let me try now!" Sora grinned and ran foreword, striking the Behemoth with several attacks before he shouted loudly. "_Strike Raid_!" Jumping back from the enemy, Sora hurled the Keyblade at the Behemoth as it shot right through his abdomen.

Kairi went next as she followed up from Sora's strike raid to start multiple attacks on the Behemoth. She jumped up and onto his back, attacking the creatures head at a rapid attack pace. Taking a step back, she swung her Keyblade from side to side and up and down before she let lose her attack, "Elemental Rain!"

From out of nowhere, the top of the Dark Depths opened up as a series of meteor like objects come flying out of the sky, each of them on fire. Lightning and rain poured down on the field as the wind blew harshly. The Behemoth let out a cry of pain as it was hit with several elemental attacks as well as they shadow Heartless on the field.

"Nice one, Kairi!" Sora shouted as he gave her thumbs up.

Riku watched as Leon and Aerith went in for a quick attack before the gigantic creature fell and disappeared into the dust just as the invincible spell wore off. Take a quick check of the perimeter, the Keyblade master felt a sudden clench at his heart. What was this foreboding feeling? Clenching his eyes shut for a brief second he focused all of his thoughts on Kaze.

_Please Kaze...make it out alive!_

All eyes turned to the portal as a high pitched hiss sounded in the area. Even as more Heartless poured out of the inky gateway, everyone could tell the portal was shrinking and that could only mean one of two things: Ansem was dead and his world was collapsing or...Kaze was dead.

As everyone readied themselves for another fight, they all prayed that it was the first option and not the latter.

_From yonder of darkness, the broken pieces of recollection  
Reminiscence  
Eternity of time is ticking away endlessly  
Reminiscence_

Ansem laughed cruelly as he sent Kaze into another wall, her loud cry of pain echoing through his throne room as her body fell to the ground. Blood poured in between her eyes as a rock hit the top of her head, cracking it slightly. Her arm was cut in several places, clothes torn to shreds.

"You know I don't like hurting you, Kaze," Ansem said sweetly as he walked towards her, "but as long as you continue to defy me, I will continue to punish you."

He knelt in front of his daughter, lifting her chin up to see her eyes were closed. He smirked and ran his hand over the top of her head gently, "You've been a very bad girl, little Kaze."

About the time Ansem pressed his lips to hers, a knee flew up and made a hard, solid contact with his groin. He groaned in agony as Kaze raised her fist, punching him in the nose harshly, sending him flying back into his throne which toppled backwards from the force.

Standing up weakly, Kaze wiped her mouth, spitting out some blood. Popping her right wrist, she gripped onto her staff as it flew out from the gauntlet on her arm. It extended with a quick squeeze from Kaze's hand as she pointed it right where her father was.

"_ULTIMA!_" Her whole body glowed black as the magic went through her staff, shooting out at the throne, a loud explosion following.

_From yonder of darkness, the broken pieces of recollection  
Reminiscence  
Eternity of time is ticking away endlessly  
Reminiscence_

Before the dust even cleared, Kaze flew over to the spot, "You will no longer control me, father! I will not allow you to run over me anymore!"

As she flew down, her staff raised high in the air, a black bubble formed around Ansem. Kaze's eyes widened as she didn't have the time to counterattack before she was sent flying back in the air. Following after her quickly, the dark master jumped up and above Kaze, delivering a series of punches to his daughter's body. They both plummeted towards the ground and landed within a matter of seconds. Kaze's body gave a definite crack as she cried out in pain, Ansem hovering above her.

"This is where I should be. I'm on my way up and you're on your way down."

Kaze clenched her eyes shut tightly, a choked sob leaving her throat. She had not the power nor the strength to push Ansem off her body. Memories from all those years ago flashed in her mind from when Ansem has first taken her.

"N-no! Please! STOP!"

"You were so confident before, Kaze. What happened to your spunk?"

"Tonight...you will rule beside me, Kaze. As I enter inside of you, my power will be transferred over and you will rule by my side!"

"_Over my dead body_!"

"Who!" Ansem's sentence was cut short as he was kicked harshly in the side, flying across the room from the force of the attack.

Cloud jumped and landed in front of his broken and battered half sister. He took off his cloak, wrapped her in it tightly, and supported her head under his arm.

"Kaze? Kaze, can you hear me?" He shook her body softly, but got nothing but cries of pain and sorrow. "Answer me, Kaze!"

"She can't hear you, son," A haunting laughed followed the statement as Ansem picked himself up out of the rubble. "Her mind is in a state of shock. It's best you leave her there because, as soon as I'm finished you with, I'll resume transferring my power to her!"

Cloud growled and stood in front of his sister protectively, "You'll have to get past me first, Ansem! I'm not the boy you raised from all those years ago!"

"You think you've got the skill to beat me?" He laughed. "Foolish boy! I'll make you eat those words."

_  
Why am I here nowhere?  
Just stare at the end of the everlasting infinity  
Enormous wandering shadows are crumbing  
Time passes as your heart mingles with the flowing waters_

Reaching behind him, Cloud grabbed his buster sword, holding it in front of him, "A perfect place for a grave, wouldn't you say so?"

Ansem smirked as he floated in the air, "Now all we need is a dead body."

"Don't worry," The blonde ran at full speed towards Ansem, swinging his sword with such force that it could slice through a building, "I'll be sure to give you a good funeral!"

And as Cloud swung his sword, never in his wildest dreams had he imagine Ansem catching the blade in his hand and laughing as he broke the blade in half before kicking Cloud in the side of he head, sending the blonde into realm of pain as he hit the wall full force.

Kaze watched through lifeless eyes as Cloud was sent across the room, his head hitting the wall, blood starting to pour from the wound he had just received. She wanted to move but her body wouldn't listen. As she lay there, lost in her own sorrow and grief, the white haired woman continued to watch the battle and the beating her brother was receiving.

"_Kaze..._"

Okay, now she was hearing voices. It was told that the closer you get to death, the more insane you become, but as Kaze laid there, bloody and her spirits broken, a light pierced through the roof, causing both Cloud and Ansem to stop their fight.

"_Kaze...?_"

And out of the beam of light stepped a woman in her middle/late thirties. Hair golden as the sun and eyes a bright blue. Her skin was fair and creamy, her figure very lithe and fragile. Hands were folded in front of her body as she walked towards Kaze in light steps.

Ansem dropped Cloud onto the ground, his eyes wide with shock, "It-It can't be..."

Cloud rubbed his eyes, supporting himself on his palms as he stared in awe, "Oh by the heavens...is it really her...?"

As the woman knelt down beside the body of the heiress and caressed her cheek before placing a light kiss on it, Kaze was only able to utter one word.

"Momma?"

_From yonder of darkness, the broken pieces of recollection  
Reminiscence  
Eternity of time is ticking away endlessly  
Reminiscence_

The woman smiled brightly and ran a hand over her daughter's body, healing her of all the damage that had been inflicted on her body.

"_My dearest Kaze...I'm so proud of the lady you have become. You've fought against your father with great valor and admiration. Please...close your eyes and rest. It will all be over soon._"

Kaze's closed her lifeless eyes, lying on the ground, completely unmoving. The ghost of her mother stood up, walking over to Cloud, placing a kiss on the top of his head.

"_My wonderful son...you have fought bravely and I am proud of you. Put the differences between you and your sister aside. It was not she that killed me...but I killed myself...I believed in Ansem as he betrayed my love. I'm sorry, son. Remember that I love you and will always live on in your memory."_

Cloud leaned into his mother's embrace, smiling softly, hugging her tightly, "I will mom...I will."

Ansem watched with wide eyes as his late wife walked towards him slowly, stopping not even a foot away. He blinked, trying to remember that last time he had seen her alive. His heart thumped wildly in his chest as her piercing gaze bore into him.

"A-Anna Marie...I..."

Anna Marie shook her head, sighing, "_There is no excuse for what you have done, Ansem. As a result for your experiments and lust for power, you took away our daughter's innocence and have destroyed too many lives in the process. What you have done is unforgivable._"

Ansem stuttered for his next words, trying to think of what to say, "I-I never intended for it to go this far, darling! Please believe me I"

"_Shut up_!" She raised her hand, slapping him across the face harshly, "_You could have stopped it from getting these far years ago! And as I told you the day you raised your sword and took out my heart...I will never let you see the day that you would rule the worlds._"

Kaze and Cloud's eyes shot wide open at the revelation of their past.

"_I watched from the Heavens as you tainted and soiled our daughter with evil! I watched as she fell hopelessly in love with Riku and bore a beautiful baby boy. I watched Cloud grow into a man of high stature and fall in love with the Ancient, Aerith. Ever since the day I was murdered, I have watched as you tore our family apart, but **no more**! I will no longer sit and idly watch you destroy the lives of **MY** children!" _

_  
_"Anna Marie! Please, reconsider!" The thumping in Ansem's chest had gotten louder by this time. All he had worked for was about to be destroyed by the ghost of his late wife! No! He would not allow it!

"_As a punishment, I will destroy your kingdom and the monsters that you have created! Sora had gotten rid of you once and now, as you stand here, the light shall prevail and destroy you once and for all!_"

All was silent before a bright, piercing light filled the room. Ansem cried out in agony as he shielded his face. Anna Marie folded her hands in front of her body, as if in prayer, chanting softly to herself before she lifted her arms up, opening the widely. Several rings of light shot out from her body, sending massive tremors throughout the land of darkness.

_  
From yonder of darkness, pierced light awaken the past  
Eternity of time is ticking away endlessly  
Reminiscence  
From yonder of time, the present tied to the past  
With pieces of recollection  
Reminiscence_

Kaze lay on the floor, Cloud's cape wrapped around her body. The roof above them started to crumble massive and she stood, trying to keep herself steady. On the other side of a room, Cloud watched in amazement as the body of his stepfather was buried under the rubble of the crumbling roof, but as he watched, no one noticed the ceiling above Cloud start to crack and break, a gigantic piece of black rubble falling down onto him quickly.

"Cloud!" Kaze shouted as she clenched her fists and used all the power she could muster to reach her brother. Black feathering wings shot out from her spin as the cape wrapped around her molded onto her body, becoming a second skin. Transforming as quickly as possible, Kaze beat her massive wings as fast as possible.

"Brother! Watch out!"

Cloud glanced up and his eyes dilated. He tried to move but only fell onto the ground as his ankle was caught between two pieces of stone. Clenching his eyes shut tightly as he tried to pry his leg from between the rocks, the ex-SOLDIER silently declared his love for Aerith as the rubble fell faster.

And the last thing he saw was a black streak fly in front of him at lightening speed, covering his body with its own.

Back in the Dark Depths, the group was still fending themselves from the hordes of Heartless, Shadow and Behemoth alike, before everything just stopped. The Heartless completely ceased their attacks and slowly melted into the ground. Sora stopped himself in mid swing, raising one brown eyebrow.

Leon's eyes darted around the room, his gunblade still held in a defensive position, "What the hell just happened?"

Yuffie smirked, "I guess the Heartless knew that they wouldn't stand a chance against the greatest ninja ever!"

"No," Aerith lowered her staff, "that wasn't it. It was something...out of this world..."

Kairi put away the Keyblade as she stared into the portal before pointing and jumping ecstatically, "L-look!"

Everyone watched as a ghostly figured appeared through the portal and floated over to a still unconscious Laiktu. It bent down, placing a quick kiss on his forehead.

"_I'll be watching over you...my grandbaby._"

The figure stood up straight, taking a quick glance at Riku before going over to kiss his cheek lightly.

"_Take care of my daughter_."

Riku was speechless and dumbfound at the moment. He quickly inspected the woman before him and tried to think of where he knew that face from! His aquamarine eyes bore into her icy blue ones before it hit him with full force. He grinned, not saying a word, and just nodded to her words.

The woman smiled softly and padded over to Aerith, hugging her tightly, "_Take care of Cloud. He needs you._"

Aerith smiled, hugging back, "Yes ma'am. I will."

The woman pulled back from the Ancient and smiled at everyone else. As her body disappeared, a bright light exploded in the room as shimmering sparkles rained down on the party, healing them of all their wounds.

Sora rubbed his eyes, blinking rapidly, "Now _that_ was something out of this world!"

Yuffie ran over to Aerith, pulling on her arm, "Who in the heck was that woman!"

Aerith and Riku looked at one another, both smiling brightly. The Ancient pried away from the ninja's grip and put a hand on her shoulder, "Calm down, Yuffie. No reason to get all excited."

Riku bent down and picked up his son, holding him in his arms softly as he glanced at the others, "That...was Kaze and Cloud's mother..."

All eyes in the room widened and stared at the spot the figure was last seen at. Yuffie blinked and paled slightly before her eyes rolled in the back of her head. Leon thankfully caught her in time before she hit the floor.

Kairi gasped, "Is she okay?"

Leon let out an annoyed groan, picking Yuffie up bridal style, "She's apparently afraid of ghosts."

And as everyone laughed and rejoiced, the group seemed to brush away that the portal to the dark realm was closing...with Kaze and Cloud still inside.

Small pieces of rubble continued to fall down inside Ansem's throne room. Dust clouded the air and prevented anything from being remotely visible. There was no noise...no movement came from inside of the room. All was silent except for one small pebble. As it descended down upon a pile of rubble and planted itself there, a slight movement could be seen. From the cracks of the rocks, light shown through as a roar was heard.

Kaze flexed her giant wings from underneath the pile of rocks as she unburied herself and Cloud. She coughed up dust from her lungs and took in deep breaths of air to give her body life once again. Reaching a hand down into the rocky grave, Kaze grabbed onto Cloud's hand, pulling him up harshly.

"You okay?" She asked, dusting herself off nonchalantly.

Nodding, the blonde coughed, covering his mouth in the process. The only injury he suffered was a small cut above his left eye.

"Yeah...th-thanks for saving me, Kaze."

The younger of the two only shrugged, "What's family for?" She grinned and patted his shoulder.

Cloud dusted off his chest and pants, "Speaking of which...where's Ansem?"

At about that time, massive amounts of rocks and rubble shot out from one place. Kaze growled and turned her back, flexing her wings to shield herself and Cloud from the oncoming assault of sediment. Turning around, she glared harshly at the person she hated, but loved, the most.

"Why can't you stay dead!" Cloud yelled angrily.

He didn't answer the question or statement rather. The demon of darkness just stood there and stared at his two children. The attack from his late wife had zapped him of all his power, bloodied and bruised his body, and shot down all of his dreams. He was an inch away from dying, but wouldn't die just yet. The thought of dying before telling Cloud and Kaze his secret tore away at his soul. Slowly, he walked towards them.

Kaze wrapped one of her wings around Cloud protectively, extending out her hand as a reddish ball of energy formed at her palm.

"Take another step and I'll kill you...for good," She whispered harshly.

"My children..." Ansem reached out a hand to them weakly, his body shaking and swaying lightly. "If you want to k-kill me...then go ahead. I will not stop you..."

Cloud grinned at his statement, "You don't have to tell us twice! Kaze, blast him!"

Instead Kaze did right the opposite. Cloud was shocked to see his half sister lower her hand. Ooh, he wanted to slap her right now for being so stupid. As he opened his mouth to protest, Kaze stopped him.

"Wait..." Icy blue hues met the sun orange eyes of her father. She stared at him intently, searching his soul through her eyes. "Let's hear what he has to say."

"You've lost your fucking mind," Cloud whispered harshly, gripping onto her shoulders. "Think of all the crimes he's committed! The lives he's killed! He killed mother!"

Kaze put a hand over his mouth, "Think of what momma would want us to do. She wouldn't be so heartless to kill him where he stands. He knows he's going to die...I think we should hear what he as to say."

Ansem smiled weakly, "You were always...the easier one to reason with Kaze..." He kept walking towards them slowly, opening his arms to them.

"I said we would hear you out, fucker, not pretend your deeds have been undone."

"Very well then," Ansem steadied himself on his legs, his body hunched over. "When I married Anna Marie...I was the happiest man alive. That year I had been given the task of leadership over Hallow Bastion and I was blessed with a wonderful wife and son. Anna Marie soon shed light that she was pregnant and nine months later...she gave me a beautiful baby girl."

Cloud snickered lightly and said under his breath, "More like hellion." He gasped for air when Kaze elbowed him and glared harshly.

Getting past the fight, Ansem continued, his strength leaving him at a rapid pace, "As the years went on, I was a happy man. I had a beautiful wife, wonderful family, and was respected by the people of Hallow Bastion. Life was great...until I received a letter from an anonymous person. They said if I didn't start the secret research on the darkness of people's hearts then my family would be killed. As instructed, I went below the city and found the Heartless...and I was enticed to say the least.

"But I shouldn't have agreed. They men that came to me said that as long as I experimented with the creatures that nothing would happen; however, the more I kept researching the Heartless, the more I wanted to know. I wanted power...I wanted to rule over all the worlds! I was soon destroying innocent lives and feeding their hearts to darkness for fuel my own greedy needs. My employers soon found out my real intention and set out to kill Anna Marie and you two, but I wouldn't let them. I sacrificed my heart in order to save my family...

"I then had no control over myself. I realized that in order to fully reign over the worlds that I needed a pure heart...a heart untouched by any evil. Even as I brought the sword down onto Anna Marie's body II cried and knew that things would never be the same. I took Kaze away from Hallow Bastion and sealed her away in Kingdom Hearts where I slowly filled her heart with darkness and my seed of evil. Throughout the torture of your body, Kaze, you never realized that I was slowly inserting your mother's kindness and light into your heart to cancel out the effects of darkness caused by my essence.

Ansem smiled at the two weakly, "I never meant to hurt either of you, my children. I can only hope that...with my death...that the light from your hearts will show that...I...lo-love you both...and al-always will..."

And as Ansem's strength and life force left his body, Kaze ran from her spot, catching her father before he hit the ground. Cloud was a step behind her, a distraught look on his face.

"Father!" Cloud cried frantically.

Kaze rolled him over, cradling his head in her lap. She stared down into the solemn, serene face of her father and realized that he was smiling. Bending down, she placed a soft kiss on his forehead, weeping silently.

"Goodnight sweet father...and may flights of angels take thee to thy rest..."

Cloud and Kaze both shed silent tears for their father, heads bowed low in respect for the great man he use to be. Their conscious could rest easy now knowing that he was in a better place and with their mother, finally happy. The revelation of why he truly turned over to the darkness shed a new light on the two siblings and uncovered a love for the man they thought had been buried for years.

As Ansem's body started to disappear, Kaze felt herself glowing slightly, a warm sensation washing through her. Lifting up her hand, she clenched her fists, feeling more powerful than ever before. She smiled sadly and stood, her band covering her eyes. She was now the Queen of Darkness...or was it light? It didn't matter anymore. Ansem was dead and she and Cloud could finally rest knowing the threat to the worlds was over.

The mourning of Ansem's death wasn't able to last long for as the last of his body disappeared, the ground beneath Cloud and Kaze started to shake violently, causing them to both lose their balance. Kaze steadied herself against the wall while Cloud held onto his sister tightly.

"Shit!" Kaze yelled, jumping back from being hit by a boulder. "The castle's collapsing! With father gone, there's no way to control the dimension!"

"We have to get out of here!" Cloud shouted, taking Kaze's hand, running for the exit. "Let's go!"

They ran out of the room and down the hall at lightening speed. With the ground giving tremendous shakes, the two siblings barely made it down the stairs only to stop, finding that their only way to get out was to jump down five stories.

"Fuck!" Cloud cursed as he looked down. "We have to jump, Kaze. It's our only way!"

"No, it's not!" Kaze shook her head as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her wings expanded from her body, one black and the other white, as she beat them with tremendous force. Mustering all the power she could, Kaze lifted both herself and Cloud off the ground, flying straight up.

Cloud panicked, "What the hell are you doing? The exit is down not up!"

Extending her hand, Kaze blasted a hole in the roof, flying straight through with it great speed while dodging rubble at the same time, "We never would have made it out in time!"

As they shot into the sky, the castle gave a loud rumbled. The cracking and breaking of bricks and sediment could be heard as Cloud and Kaze both watched from the sky as their father's last resting place slowly broke into pieces, crumbling to the ground.

_Slimy hole bind detain insane sensual  
surge vague twine assault mind  
Crumbing forms are closing in towards me  
I wish everything would collapse and scatter away_

The two stayed in the air, floating as the last of the castle fell to the ground and turned into dust. Cloud sighed loudly, "It's sad to know that he gave up his heart for us...I always thought that it was for power and dominance."

Kaze's face held no emotion as she spoke, "It was for that...about half anyway."

Closing his glowing blue eyes, Cloud sighed again and opened them only to spot that their way home was closing and fast.

"The portal's closing, Kaze!"

"God dammit!" The dark one cursed and beat her wings faster than she ever had before, doing a straight nose dive for the ground. They were so close; yet so far! And as they portal kept closing, Kaze's wings kept beating faster as she held onto her brother tightly.

They both prayed that they would make it.

"What's taking them so long!" Kairi yelled frantically as she paced in front of the portal to Ansem's realm inside the Dark Depths.

Leon looked up from the spot he was leaning against, an unconscious Yuffie still in his arms, "They should be here shortly. Stop pacing. It's annoying."

Riku frowned, staring at the quickly dissipating portal. Laiktu had woken up moments after Kaze's mother had arrived and was standing as his side, rigid and worried for his mom.

"Do you think she'll make it, pop?" Laiktu asked, staring at the darkness in front of him.

Patting the boy's head, Riku nodded, "I know she will and Cloud too. They'll be back shortly."

Aerith twiddled her thumbs nervously, "The portal's getting smaller! I'm going in after them!"

Sora shook his head, his daughter in his arms, "That's stupid, Aerith! You could be lost in there and what would Cloud do then?"

Aerith frowned and looked into the portal once more. She had to blink twice when she saw two figures in the far off distance flying straight for the portal.

"Here they come!"

It happened so fast that no one had time to react. Out of the portal flew out Kaze who was holding onto a paler than normal Cloud Strife. Kaze's feet touched the floor and she let Cloud go. Everyone smiled, running towards them before the white haired woman stopped them.

"Get out now! This place will collapse with father's realm!" Kaze raised her hand and opened another portal that lead straight into the control room of Hallow Bastion.

"I said _MOVE OUT_!" She yelled more violently.

Kairi nodded her head frantically, running for the exit with Sora and Kioko right behind her. Leon held tightly only Yuffie as he grabbed Aerith's hand, running as fast as he could. Riku ran up to Kaze with Laiktu right beside him.

"Glad to see you made it out alive, Kaze," He smirked.

Kaze rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Shut up and get out! If I have to tell you again I'll throw you like a Frisbee!"

Laiktu cleared his throat, "Better listen to her, pop. She tends to get pissy when she's ignored."

Riku held back his laughter and Kaze glared down at his son, "And you tend to get grounded and beat when you smart mouth me. Now go! We don't have much time bef"

"No one's going anywhere, Kaze, well...I'll let them go, but you're staying with me!"

Cloud growled as he stood in front of the portal, "Sephiroth!"

Everyone stopped and looked around as the Dark Depth's began to disappear at a rapid pace. Kaze growled, powering up and stood in front of her family and friends just as Sephiroth charged at her, his sword raised high. The man gave an enraged battle cry as Kaze brought out her staff, blocking his attack

"Everyone, leave! I'll be out shortly!" She looked back at them and flashed a smile, "Trust me."

Kairi raised her hand to speak but was cut off as Cloud picked her up and hurled her out of the Dark Depths. Sora glared daggers at Cloud before he jumped into the portal. One by one, Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Riku, and Laiktu had gotten through the portal safely. The only ones left were Cloud and Kaze.

"Go Cloud!" Kaze shouted as she delivered another attack from Sephiroth. She wouldn't use her full power to blow him away unless her brother was out of harm's way.

The blonde shook his head, "Not a chance! I'm not leaving without you!"

Sephiroth laughed as he dodged a kick from Kaze. He zig zagged from left to right as he completely disappeared from the woman's sight. She was too distracted by fighting with Cloud to know what was coming.

"God dammit, Cloud!" Kaze's fury was starting to get the best of her. She looked from side to side, ready for an attack from any side of her body.

Cloud ran over and grabbed onto her wrist, pulling her towards the exit, "Let's go while he's gone! As much as I would like to see Sephiroth die, this place is gonna go and we'll be stuck in it!"

The white haired woman yanked her arm back, glaring at him, forgetting completely about Sephiroth, "I'll follow you shortly! Just go while you chauuugh!"

Cloud watching in horror as Sephiroth's sword drove through Kaze's abdomen, blood dripping from the sheer blade and the wound. His eyes widened in shock as she sword was pulled from her body, Sephiroth laughing insanely as Kaze dropped to her knees.

"SISTER!" The blonde tried to reach for her but was stopped by his arch enemy's sword pointing right under his chin. He glared harshly at Sephiroth. "You'll pay for that!"

He only laughed cruelly, twisting the blade, "Not today, Strife! Today is your day to die!"

Cloud growled and stood her ground as the Dark Depth's kept disappearing at a more rapid pace now. If he had to die, he'd die with honor and valor. It was against his code to run away from a fight. Sephiroth only smirked as he drew his blade back but, instead of driving it forward, he stopped all movement as he let out a strangled cough, blood coming from his mouth.

"What...?"

Both looked down to see Kaze with her hand shot straight up into Sephiroth's chest. She smirked weakly, "A heart...I'm surprised at you Sephiroth. A man asas dark as you actually has a heart...and it beats nonetheless!"

"Why you...little _bitch_!" Sephiroth's eyes dilated as he flipped his sword in his hand and stabbing it through Kaze's back, right into her heart.

Kaze let out a cry of pain as she looked up at Cloud, her hand still in Sephiroth's chest. No words were exchanged between them two siblings as it was written out on their faces.

"You're going to be fine, Kaze. Just hold on!"

"Tell my familyI love them," She yanked her hand down harshly, pulling out Sephiroth's heart, her eyes glowing a solid white, "I said to _LEAVE_!"

Cloud had nothing to brace himself with has a gust of wind pushed him back and closer to the portal. He tried to fight against the rushing gales with all the strength in his body. The last thing he saw was Kaze smiling at him sweetly before both she and Sephiroth fell to the ground.

"KAZE!"

_From yonder of darkness, the broken pieces of recollection  
Reminiscence  
Eternity of time is ticking away endlessly  
Reminiscence_

"Here they come!" Kairi shouted, pointing towards the portal, excitement etched into her voice.

Everyone had waited rather impatiently for the two half siblings to arrive from the Dark Depths. The controls had been going haywire at the instability of the realm and everyone feared the worse when Kaze and Cloud hadn't stepped out immediately. Even if Sephiroth was powerful and formidable enemy, the two could have disposed of him easily.

Laiktu started a run up to the portal to greet his mother with a tight bear hug and a kiss but stopped short when he saw only one person come through the portal...and it wasn't his mother. His ocean blue eyes went from the body of his uncle to the swirling portal of the Dark Depths as it slowly sealed itself up tightly, never to be entered into again.

The seven year old child ran up to Cloud, pulling on his shirt frankly, "Where's my mom? Where is she!"

Cloud didn't answer as he sat on the ground, staring at the Dark Depths with soulless eyes. Laiktu growled and punched him in the face, trying to get an answer. Gasps of shock were heard through the room. Cloud was, however, unmoved by the child's move.

"Where's my mother you sorry son of a bitch! WHERE IS SHE!"

Riku ran towards his son, picking him up, "Laiktu! Calm down!"

Aerith knelt down beside Cloud, putting a hand on his cheek, "Honey? Cloud, where's Kaze?"

Cloud's eyes slowly turned to Kaze, tears starting to form slowly, "She's...dead..."

All movements in the room stopped as all eyes were focused on the blonde. Kairi's eyes widened in shock, a hand flying to her mouth.

"What did you say?"

Cloud glared at Kairi, his tears pooling over, "Don't make me repeat it, dammit! She's dead! DEAD! She got rid of Sephiroth but...he...he killed her...and she didn't make any move to leave as the place was disappearing."

Sora closed his eyes, clenching his fists tightly as he looked down at the ground. Leon and Yuffie both bowed their heads in respect to the fallen warrioress, sending a silent prayer to her soul. Kioko held onto her mother's leg and cried silently into the fabric of her pants.

Riku's whole body went numb as she let go of Laiktu, his son landing on his feet. He couldn't believe it. He wouldn't! Kaze couldn't be dead! She swore to him that she would come back alive.

Cloud stood slowly and wiped his tears, looking at Riku emotionlessly, "She loved you and Laiktu both. Very much."

Laiktu lay on the floor and curled up into a ball, burying his face into his knees and cried loudly. He spoke in a slur, his words incoherent as he rocked slowly onto the ground. Sora walked up to Riku and placed a hand on the older man's shoulder.

"Riku...I-"

"Shut up Sora," Riku shrugged his shoulder away from the other man.

"But..."

"I said to shut up! Now back the fuck off me!" He shoved past Sora and walked up towards the Dark Depths, staring intently at the solid wall between him and Kaze.

_Why...why did you do it? Why Kaze! You..._Riku slammed his fist into the wall, dragging his nails down it so hard that his fingernails started to pop off from the sheer force, trails of red following down the wall as he dropped to his knees.

"You selfish bitch!" He kept pounding the wall harshly, ignoring the stares from his comrades behind him. He needed his release...he wanted his Kaze back. She wasn't supposed to leave him like this.

Giving one last punch, Riku heard the crack of the wall...or was it his bones? He didn't care. Slammed his palms down onto the ground, his hands bloody, tears pouring from his aquamarine eyes.

"I love you..." He whispered harshly before throwing his head back and called out for her with such a forceful yell that all of Hallow Bastion heard him and felt his pain.

_From yonder of darkness, pierced light,  
Reminiscence  
Recollection, Reminiscence  
Reminiscence..._

¤-¤

**  
AN:** Wow...that has to be the longest chapter yet! Sorry it sound so rushed guys but I tried to put as much and write as much as I could without it sounding like I zipped through it. Now, if you find ANY typos, I'm sorry. I lost Microsoft Word and I haven't been able to get it back.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's been so much fun writing this story. I want to thank everyone that has reviewed and stuck by me until this..."masterpiece" was completely. But sadly, all stories have to come to an end and this one is on it's last standing legs. Don't worry, there's still an epilogue to go. I can't promise it will be done by Christmas, but it **_WILL_** be finished and posted by New Years!

And again, thank you to all of the wonderful people who reviewed this story. Reading the reviews you left me always warmed and touched my heart. A special thanks to my fiancée. Without you, angel, I would have never started this chapter. I love you.

Keep an eye out for the epilogue!

Winter Peacecraft-Yuy

PS-I'm editing this chapter and posting the non-edited version on and I'm going to make a new LJ account and post it there. I'll put up the link as soon as I do that!


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